Love of The Lost
by hope2x
Summary: Regina has done everything she can to earn Henry's love. In the process, only breaking herself further. At what point is it acceptable to take back control over one's own happiness? Regina finds an opportunity to maybe get her happy ending, though it means no longer allowing others to dictate her life, and that includes the son she fought so hard for. Regina with a dose of SQ.
1. Chapter 1

**This story begins in Neverland, just after Henry's rescue. There will be SQ in this story, but this will be centered around Regina. I ship Regina and happiness. :)**

**And heads up, there is an OC in this fic that will be prominent throughout the whole story.**

* * *

**Lost and Found**

"Hurry!" David yelled towards his daughter as Hook was helping her back up into the ship.

"David, are you coming?" Mary Margaret held Henry against her before Emma finally reached them and dropped to pull him into a hug again.

"I'll be there in a second!" He yelled before turning back towards the forest. "Regina!" He called out as he started running back towards the nearly escaped danger. "Regina, come on, we have to go now!" He yelled louder before finally seeing the brunette come into view.

"I'm here." She bit out and David noticed her slightly limping as she jogged into view. "Thanks for leaving me behind." She didn't hide her irritation. Both at how she had received a pitiful excuse for a hug from her son before he jumped back to his birth mother and how then the whole group moved ahead of her without looking back once. Though she did accept his arm as she climbed over a fallen tree.

"We didn't know you fell behind. If you haven't noticed, things are a bit hectic." His sarcasm laced tone didn't seem to faze Regina as she was focused more on the sharp pain in her ankle. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, just a twisted ankle."

"Can't you heal it?"

"Once I've rested. I used all my energy back there." She did try to force the anger from her tone there, though she was frustrated she had expelled quite an exhausting amount of magic to keep everyone safe just to go completely un-thanked from all except surprisingly, Emma. Though their circumstances had recently taken a turn.

They took a few more steady steps before the sound of a splitting twig halted them.

"Who goes there?!" David's voice boomed through the deceptively quiet forest surrounding them. His eyes were peeled as he caught sight of movement behind a tree. "You!" He moved away from Regina and drew his sword, taking cautious steps into the darkness. "I said, who goes there?!"

"Please, I'm sorry." A small English accented voice pleaded as a young boy came into view.

He was smaller in size than Henry, both shorter and thin in a way that suggested he did not receive the proper amount of food a growing boy should. His dirty blonde hair was a little longer also and aimed in all directions. He had only a pair of worn, raggedy shorts with a belt and dagger attached as clothing. Not even shoes on his mud caked feet.

"_Lost boy_." David glared, his tone threatening as he lifted his sword towards the boy.

"I'm not like them, I swear it!" He had tear marks down his dirt dusted face.

"You're only saying that because the rest of them aren't here to save you." His sword touched just under the boy's trembling chin.

"David, stop it." Regina moved forward, coming next to David and pushing the weapon away with her bare hand.

"Regina, he is one of _them_. One of the very people that held Henry captive."

"He is just a child." She turned to glare at him before softening her look and kneeling down to eye level with the boy.

"I promise you, I am not like them. They took me too, i didn't have a choice, I swear!" The child's eyes were wet with fresh tears as he looked only at the woman showing him sympathy.

"Shh, I believe you." She said kindly, and she did. The boy was obviously scared, and there had been plenty of children taken as Pan had looked for Henry. She could see the truth in his eyes that was only confirmed in the wash of relief that covered his face at her words.

"Please don't send me back to them." He begged, more tears slipping down his cheeks. Regina felt her heart break for him. It was no secret to herself, as she had always had a soft spot for children. But this boy specifically, just touched her somehow.

"I won't." She promised. "What is your name, sweetheart?"

"They call me Luca." He sniffed and Regina gave him a soft smile. She wondered if that meant Peter Pan and his boys decided to call him what they wanted.

"Luca, I'm Regina." She reached out and he took her hand with a slightly less nervous smile forming.

"Regina, we have to go, _now_." David insisted as the sound of shouting was heard in the distance, both from their family and from the other side of the forest, undoubtedly the surviving and very angry group of young men coming for them.

"No, please don't leave me!" Luca lunged forward and grabbed Regina's jacket in both his small, but tight fists. "I'm scared, please take me with you."

He started crying again and that, with his tight grip on Regina, temporarily made the woman ever forget she had been a ruthless killer. She felt so empathetic for him. Since Henry, Regina could never imagine such a child left alone and scared. Despite everything Henry had done to her, she would die to know he felt this way. She couldn't help the feeling radiating to the scared little boy in front of her now.

"Regina…no." David watched the breaking expression on her face and knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Come on, sweetheart." She removed the boy's hands from her clothes, but kept a gentle and firm hold of one as she stood to walk back towards the dock.

"No, Regina-"

"David, I am not asking permission. You don't have to like it, but unlike you, I won't leave a defenseless child to fend for himself." She stopped to look back at the boy. "Come now Luca, we must move quickly, okay?"

Luca nodded his head furiously as he clung desperately to Regina's hand. The brunette pushed past the incredulous looking man and walked tall and steady. She suddenly found her energy again, letting her body heal the injured ankle.

The child may be small and malnourished, but he knew how to get himself moving when the time came. He didn't know this woman, but for reasons he didn't understand, he just felt safe with her and wasn't going to waste an opportunity. Since he got here, he had been desperate to find a way out and away from the scary boys. This woman was taking him away and he couldn't be more ready.

"Whoa." Luca looked up as the ship came into view. Regina couldn't help the small smile at his eyes lit up seeing his ride out of here.

"I didn't realize we were taking guests upon the Jolly Roger." Hook narrowed his eyes as Regina walked the new child up towards the poor excuse for a dock they were using.

"Well we are." She said shortly before moving Luca in front of her. "Reach for his hand, okay?" She said gently and moved behind him, missing the nervous expression that settled again. He didn't argue though and when Regina started lifting him, he reached out and took the offered hand above him. Once the child was safely on board, Hook leaned back to help Regina up and then the scowling David as well.

Luca took one look at the confused and startled looking group that was already waiting on board and automatically took a cautionary step back. He hadn't been around real adults in a very long time and his nerves were climbing quickly. He took another step back until soft hands gently grasped his shoulders and stopped him. He looked up to see his personal savior smiling comfortingly back at him.

"It's okay, honey." She spoke softly and felt herself warmed at the smile he gave her. He gave her his trust already and Regina almost didn't know how to handle the gift. She did know though, that would continue to do whatever she could to make him feel safe.

She looked up to see her son, feeling the need to reassure he was still safe after the dramatic rescue only hours earlier. Henry looked confused as he glanced between his brunette mother to the child leaning back into her now. He recognized the boy, though he hadn't really spoken to him before. His expression said he was most certainly confused at what was happening now. And he wasn't the only one.

"Um, Regina. You can't- you can't just _take_ a child." Mary Margaret stepped forward, her expression slightly frazzled. They have all been through an ordeal today and it showed in all their demeanors. Hook and Gold were the only ones being productive as the pirate with the aid of the others man's magic, got the ship moving again, away from the threats of the island.

"That's what I told her." David looked angrily at Regina as he moved to join the rest of his family. Luca tensed at the harsh tone and his worries were evident as he moved to tuck himself slightly behind Regina.

Regina blinked a bit in her surprise at the child's behavior more than anyone else's. She expects the others to go against anything she does or says. It's the fact that Luca is looking to _her_ for protection _from_ the Charmings' that startled her. She let her hand squeeze his shoulder again in an attempt to reassure him before moving her glare to the couple again.

"I didn't _steal_ him away. He isn't safe here. I'm trying to help."

"And while that is very kind of you, he is one of _them_." Mary Margaret protested, just as her husband had, though she was forcing her tone to be just slightly kinder. "He is a lost boy." She said seriously but Regina just lifted her chin.

"His name is Luca, and he is no longer lost." She paused to look down and catch the frightened child's gaze. "He is found and he is safe." She spoke softly and again, felt such a rush of warmth at the hopeful and bright smile aimed only at her.

"Still, this isn't okay. You can't simply claim him, Regina." Mary Margaret couldn't help herself from protesting further and looked to her family for support. While she got a nod in agreement from her husband, her daughter was less than convinced. "Emma?"

"I…well…" She shrugged.

"Emma, we're not just taking a small trip here. We're crossing worlds." Her eyes widened as her daughter still didn't seem to understand. Emma sighed as she looked over to Regina and the boy using her as a shield.

"Kid, do you have a family?" She addressed him kindly with her own arms still around Henry, but Luca looked up to Regina. The brunette brushed his slightly matted hair out of his face before speaking softly.

"Sweetie, do you have parents and a family where you're from?" Although she wished no pain for this child, inexplicably, she was hoping for an answer to the negative. She knew her attachment to him is new but somehow already strong. She didn't like the thought of having to give him up already.

"No." He shook his head sadly. Regina breathed out a sigh but then she held him closer to her side. "I lived with a bunch of other boys and girls before they took me one night."

Regina looked up to see an expression understanding on Emma's face. No one should have to guess as to why, though she still got looks of surprise when she gave her reply.

"Okay, I don't see what the problem is."

"Emma, he is a _child_-"

"And Regina's not." Emma immediately cut off her mother, earning a surprised, yet appreciative look from Regina. Henry though, looked up at his birth mother with confusion. "I don't think we have child custody laws out here. I don't think it's kidnapping if she's saving him _from_ kidnappers." Emma shrugged and both parents let out puffs of air in their irritation. Regina locked eyes on the blonde for a second and gave her a slight nod.

Right then, Regina felt the child in question shiver. Hook and Gold had the ship beginning to sail again and the winds along with the splashes of water were chilling the young boy. He stayed put though, not a stranger to uncomfortable positions, though the woman standing with him was not going to tolerate it.

"I say both boys have been through an ordeal. Let's let them get cleaned up and have some rest before tomorrow." Regina spoke with finality, already moving before anyone could object. Emma pulled Henry along with her, stepping behind Regina and Luca to follow them below deck.

"We can get the beds ready, if you want to take Luca to the bathroom first." Emma looked over the child's very neglected state and Regina nodded immediately in her agreement. Regina lifted a hand to squeeze her son's shoulder, again, just needing the reminder he was back and safe, before leading the smaller child to their (possibly magically produced) bathroom down the hall.

She walked Luca up to the mirror before conjuring a fresh hand towel and wetting it in the sink. As she looked to the boy again though, he hadn't even noticed her magic, instead staring with a startled expression at his own reflection. He lifted hands hesitantly towards his face and into the matted hairs atop his head.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I haven't seen myself except in pools of water in a long time."

"There is no need to apologize, dear. Take this." She held the towel for him. "I'm going to check on the other two, just back down the hall, and I'll be right back, okay?" She saw just slight nervousness in his expression before he gave her that small smile and nod again. "Good boy." She smiled as she stood and turned, missing the surprised, turned proud grin at hearing words never before directed at himself.

Regina wanted to stay near Luca, but also had to see her son. She moved quickly and stepped right back into the cabin room she had been sharing with his other mother.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" She asked him kindly, lifting a hand to cup his cheek.

"I'm fine." He shrugged and moved to plop down onto Emma's bed on her side on the small room.

"Are you injured anywhere? Anything you need healed?" She approached, but kept her distance, sadly noting the way she still kept closer to Emma.

"I don't want you using magic on me." He immediately protested and Regina took in a deep breath.

"She just wants to help, Henry." Emma spoke up, surprising Regina yet again at her willingness to keep with their newly formed truce.

"But not with magic. Right, Mom? You're not going to use magic anymore, right?" He asked with that almost accusatory stare and Regina felt herself repeating her deeper breaths.

"I don't know, Henry." She said truthfully, knowing honesty was the best option.

"You can't. You promised." He narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Henry, that was before out town nearly imploded, you were kidnapped, and we were _all _forced to perform magic to stay alive." She couldn't help looking pointedly at Emma during her answer, hating that she was the only one he was scared of. Henry noticed of course.

"Emma's magic is good. Yours is dark. Mom, you can't do your magic anymore." He said with a tone of finality that mirrored his adoptive mother's.

"I'm sorry honey, but I won't make any promises I can't keep. I want to be honest with you always now. But I can't tell you the need won't arise, or that I simply won't put the skills I've acquired to use." She smiled sadly, knowing her answer would set them back. It also hurt that he had only been back with them such a short time, and instead of wanting to know how all of this- his entire rescue- came about, he only wanted to go back right where they left off in Storybrooke.

"Yeah, plus kid, her magic has been doing a lot of good. She saved me and has been helping me with my own magic. Plus it was her magic that held off the lost boys when we finally got in to save you." Emma gave Henry a nudge, but his features were set and his tone stubborn.

"It's dark magic, Emma. It makes everyone do evil things."

"Henry…" Emma sighed.

"I'm going to check on Luca." Regina turned away, not in the mood to hear of her "evil" again right now. She was completely exhausted, and the relief she had felt once being safe from immediate danger was already being replaced.

"Regina, wait." Emma jogged out into the hall to catch up with the brunette. "Hey, look, he'll come around."

"It's fine Miss Swan-"

"Hey." Emma lifted a hand. "I thought we had a truce. Our new beginning?" She gave a small smile and Regina might have rolled her eyes, if not for the way the blonde had been acting towards her since they made the tentative deal.

"Fine." She sighed. "_Emma_, I'm fine. I do appreciate the…assistance though." She didn't like thanking Emma, but she knew it was important for their newly forming "relationship", for lack of a better term.

"No problem. And thanks for saving my life…twice." Emma nodded and looked almost shyly at her feet.

"Yes, well, let's just hope you can make it home in one piece. I don't care to deal with Henry should anything happen to his…mother." She forced the sadness from her tone and was grateful when Emma decided to leave it alone.

"Alright well, I'll get Henry ready for bed. I'm very glad we'll be back in real ones tomorrow though."

"You and me both." Regina let a small smile slip before turning swiftly and heading back down the hall.

Her relationship with Emma had only changed two days ago when they realized they were about one step from killing each other and if that happened, Henry would be down yet another parent. They had forced themselves to calm and had ended up pacing the small cabin for hours, trying to talk through plans with Henry without breaking into a fight.

Their biggest problem though, was how each would bring the other's past into the fight. Whether it be a crack about abandoning Henry from Regina to Emma, or an angry retort about Regina's life as an evil queen, they just couldn't stop bring up old mistakes. It was when they both were snarling in each other's faces and each had simultaneously screamed _I love my son!_, that they finally came to an understanding.

At that point, both came to the realization that no matter their differences, they had one very important thing in common. They would both do anything for Henry.

They both knew they had to shove their differences aside if they had any chance. So the only thing they could do, was let go of the past. It may be something that would still affect them, but to each other, they would start over. So they did. Emma had even gone as far as reaching out a hand to introduce herself, saying _Hi, my name is Emma_, before continuing. Regina thought it slightly ridiculous, but in those two days, Emma had kept to her word and treated Regina as if they had just met and their first impressions were not hateful and malicious.

It was certainly an odd new development for them , one in which clearly everyone else on the ship couldn't understand. But it was working, and for that, Regina was grateful.

She walked into the bathroom again to see Luca scrubbing furiously at his legs, trying to remove all dirt and grime on his body. Regina smiled sadly at him, feeling bad that such a sweet boy had endured so much.

"Let me help you, sweetie." She approached and took the towel from him, re-wetting it in the sink before continuing to clean.

"Where are we going to?" He asked while he rested his hands on her shoulders as she lifted his foot to clean.

"We are going back to the world we came from. It's a town called Storybrooke. I think you'll like it." She smiled at him and he returned it, though he started looking away shyly. "What is it?" She asked gently.

"Well…when we get there…"

"Yes?" She encouraged, finishing up and waiting patiently, still knelt in front of him.

"Will I get to stay with you?" He asked timidly. He didn't meet her eyes to see them shining back at him.

"Is that what you want, Luca?" She didn't mean to sound so hopeful. She was trying to stay neutral so he could make the decision on his own.

"Very much so." He still didn't look up and Regina couldn't stop smiling at the shy boy.

"Well then, I should love to have you." She said confidently and that's when Luca finally jerked his head up. The only thing more surprising than such a joyful smile painted on his face, was the way he launched himself straight into her, wrapping his small arms around her neck as tight as he could.

Regina's heart swelled nearly painfully in her chest. She could count the number of hugs she'd (willingly) received in the last year on one hand and this one completely took the cake. Luca squeezed her as if he were scared none of it was truly real and Regina could disappear at any moment. She felt a small kiss on her cheek and nearly came undone. Such affection had not been shown her way in years and it was a lot to take in.

She managed to keep herself together though, for Luca's sake more than anything. She didn't need the small child confused or worrying about her emotions on top of his own. She took a few deep breaths before leaning back enough to see his face again. She couldn't quite get over the adorably shy, yet excited smile still adorning his face.

"Let me clean your hair a bit and then I'll get you some food before bed." She couldn't help worry about just how long it had been since the boy had truly eaten. She was worried further about that when Luca's eyes widened and he started nodding his head enthusiastically. She felt better though, knowing he'd never go hungry again.

Luca certainly seemed to like the extra attention as Regina gently scrubbed some soap into his hair. When she had him lean back over the sink so she could rinse it all out, he was smiling softly with his eyes closed. She took just a few extra moments than necessary, seeing how he seemed to be to really be enjoying the feeling.

Afterwards, she took a towel and dried out his hair, doing her best to tame the wild looking locks.

"There, all better." She let out a small laugh as he whipped his head around a few times, his hair falling somewhat evenly around his face.

"Thank you." He said shyly.

"You're welcome." She bopped him on the nose and he giggled in response. "Come on." She took his hand and started off again down the hall.

Regina looked down as Luca squeezed her hand tightly. She was amazed as his ability to move with the flow here. Henry was skeptical and weary of everything, yet this child just held on and trusted Regina explicitly. She was instantly attached and knew, despite all the drama of the past months, she would do whatever she had to, to keep him.

Luca didn't realize all the rising emotions in the woman beside him at the moment. He didn't know his smile created a hint of light once thought completely diminished. He didn't know his touch was mending microscopic pieces deep within the very broken woman. If he had of known the effect he was having, even at his age, he would have approached this maybe a bit slower as to not overwhelm her. However, that is exactly what happened to her as the boy tugged on her hand and uttered his next hopeful words.

"This means you'll be my mother now, right?"

* * *

**I have plans for this story, and i'm hoping you all enjoy the journey. :) Also Luca has an English accent in my head because of reasons... I'm American and that's just what's happening for me.. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oddly enough, i wrote this before seeing the promo pics on the boat, but when i did, i got super excited. it doesn't go along perfectly, but i thought it was amusing.**

**On another note, i don't think Regina would ever replace Henry. He has a place with her that could/would never be replaced no matter what. BUT, i do think that there's a chance she would simply let him be at some point and i also think, she deserves to take the love that is given freely to her... imo...**

* * *

**A New Beginning**

"_This means you'll be my mother now, right?" _

Regina froze as his words sunk in. It wasn't just the actual words but the hopeful sound in them as he watched her face carefully. She tried hard to shake the feeling and give him a reassuring look as quickly as possible. He seemed a little worried by the pause though, and turned away to look down at his feet.

Regina forced herself to recover from the onslaught of emotions such a simple question evoked. It was difficult though. She was fighting nonstop for just an ounce of this kind of feeling and now this child was supplying it in bulk. She felt a burning behind her eyes and knew she was seconds from losing tears. But again, she didn't want to confuse the boy further. So she took a steadying breath and knelt down, once again, in front of him.

"Look at me, sweetheart." She lifted a hand to his chin until he met her eyes. "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to." And that was the absolute truth. She couldn't handle another person, let alone child, treat her like Henry had. She couldn't take that again. "So I want you to tell me exactly what you want." She also knew they probably didn't need to make such a big decision less than an hour after meeting, but then she wondered if maybe he felt the same instant connection she did.

"…I want you to be my Mum." He mumbled, trying to look away. She still had him facing her though and so he caught sight of her immediate smile forming.

"I think I'd like that too." She couldn't help herself. She was overcome with joy at even the idea of another child, let alone one she had so easily fell in love with already.

Luca was smiling wide at her, melting her heart all over again. She couldn't care about what other people would say or think. She didn't bother to worry about every little detail that would come up in the future. In fact, it was really hard to be bothered by anything at all as hope flooded out the usual fear and doubt.

"Well…" Regina started, trying _again_ to fight against the burning in her eyes. "…how about some dinner?" She asked and he nodded happily.

They walked the rest of the way to the room and once there, Regina saw Henry already asleep on Emma's bed. Emma looked up from her spot next to him and smiled softly at Luca. The younger child kept a tighter grip on Regina's hand but offered a small smile in response.

Regina led him over to her own bed and conjured a plate for him. That was the first use of magic Luca had actually witnessed and his eyes lit up as the puff of smoke left a full dinner in front of him. For the first couple of seconds at least, that held his attention. But then of course, his hunger took precedence and he couldn't wait.

Regina had created a healthy meal of meats and vegetables. For the first time, she wasn't trying to deny a child what they might want like she had Henry to make him be healthy. No, now she was just worried about making him sick after spending, probably years, eating the foods in the forest. A worry that grew as he practically devoured the meal. He dug in and shoveled fork fulls of food in, one after another. She had to slow him down several times, fearing that he would in fact, make himself throw up.

It was during his last couple bites that his eyes started fluttering. He tried very hard to finish until the end, but when his head nodded forward, Regina removed the plate and helped him lay down. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. She covered him in a few blankets, making sure to keep the frail boy warm.

"You're keeping him, aren't you?" Emma asked quietly as both boys were sound asleep now. She had watched the tenderness Regina was showing the young boy with rapt attention. It was a side Emma wasn't used to seeing. Regina brushed the hair out of his face before looking back to her.

"He needs a home. He needs to be cared for. I have plenty of room for him and the ability to give him what he needs." She said rationally but Emma could see there was already a deeper care there than she wanted to admit.

"No, I get it. It's uh…that's cool, Regina." She nodded and Regina simply regarded her for a moment before glancing down. She looked at the young boy sleeping at her side and when she glanced back at Henry snuggling into Emma, for the very first time, she didn't feel her heart ache quite so painfully.

She wondered if that was wrong. She didn't suddenly care less about Henry. She would still do anything to keep him safe. But was it wrong to feel less pain at his rejections if she didn't have to? Was is so wrong to let herself feel happy? She couldn't decide. But as she laid down next to the young child, the now former lost boy, and he curled right up into her, she couldn't help but let her thoughts shift in a new direction.

* * *

When Regina woke up in the morning, she could tell it was still early. Luca slept soundly still at her side, and a quick look across the cabin, showed Emma completely dead to the world. She also noticed immediately though, that Henry was not at the blonde's side.

She couldn't help the automatic surge of fear. They had just barely gotten him back and not being able to see him safe, made her react.

She very carefully got up off the bed as to not wake Luca. She knew from their week together in the cramped room, that Emma would not wake easily, so after ensuring Luca was tucked in snugly, she walked out and back up towards the deck. She found Henry standing much too close to the edge, looking out over the water.

"Henry?" She called out before approaching, preferring to alert him, than deal with that flinch he did when she touched him without warning. He looked at her for a few seconds before turning back to the water.

"Hey." He said quietly.

"Trouble sleeping?" She asked as she leaned over the edge next to him.

"I guess." He just shrugged and Regina tried again.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Mom." His tone was slightly annoyed and Regina sighed.

"Henry, what is it? What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

"Well obviously it's something. Are you angry?" She turned to face him and Henry released a puff of air.

"Are you seriously going to keep using magic?" He narrowed his eyes and Regina pressed hers closed.

"Henry…it's a huge part of me. I'm trying to be better for you, you know that. But as I told you last night, I have needed magic time and time again recently. I can't promise to stop using it."

"Can't or won't?" He challenged.

"Both, Henry. I'm sorry that it bothers you so much." She said sincerely.

"I'm not okay with it." He glared and Regina smiled sadly.

"Well I'm sorry to hear that."

"...That's it?" He asked, confused.

"Henry, I don't know what to tell you." She lifted her hands exasperatingly. "I'm trying, but you're asking too much of me."

"No, I'm not. You're not willing to try." He accused and now Regina's eyes narrowed.

"_I'm_ not willing to try? That's really what you still believe? I've been trying so hard, Henry, but no matter what I do, you still turn your back on me. I have done nothing to purposefully harm you, ever, yet you constantly act as though I'm out to get you. Nothing I have done has meant much to you and honestly, I don't know what else to try." She didn't mean to lose her temper on him, but after all she had done to help rescue him, to have him still treat her this way was really pushing her over the edge.

"Is that why you got that other kid?" He asked and Regina shook her head in confusion.

"What?"

"You're giving up so you can start over with a new kid that doesn't know you're the Evil Queen."

"What?...that's…no Henry." She was growing further frustrated at his attitude and was trying to calm herself to answer him. "I'm not giving up on you. I would never do that. But I can't keep chasing you just so you can turn around and hurt me again and again. I love you, but at some point, you have to meet me halfway." She paused to take a breath but then locked eyes on him again. "And I'm _not_ the Evil Queen anymore."

"If you're still using magic, than you're still evil." He said plainly and Regina grit her teeth before responding.

"You mean the magic I used to rescue Emma from the ocean when she was pulled under by a mermaid? Or the magic I used when she was nearly shot by Pan? Or how about the magic that held everyone back so your Charming family could swoop in a perform the dramatic rescue? Is that what makes me so evil?" Her patience was drained now and Henry took a step back.

"It'll make you do evil again. It always does." His jaw was set and Regina shook her head in disbelief at his unending stubbornness. "And I -"

"Enough, Henry." She cut him off, uninterested in hearing another rant.

"But-"

"I said _enough_." She snapped. "You are the _child_, Henry. I am your mother and this conversation is over." She turned away, knowing she needed to walk away before anything else was said. But then she didn't move fast enough.

"_Emma_ is my mother." Henry muttered quietly, but the words rang out loudly to Regina. She turned slowly and looked up into his unforgiving eyes.

"Fine, Henry." She nodded and started to turn, though she looked back one more time. "Or should I be more formal now? Mr. Swan perhaps?" Hurt was dripping from her tone and the pain she felt overwhelmed the care for Henry's shocked expression. She simply lifted her chin and turned her watery eyes forward as she made her way back down to the cabin.

It was astonishing to her how little he cared. After so many years of love, that he could just look at her with such contempt and disdain blew her mind. His love had a large price tag attached and Regina had been making payments but it still wasn't good enough. She loved him. She really did. But she was serious that at some point, he really needed to try a little himself. She just couldn't keep reaching out to be slapped away. Maybe they really did need some time apart.

The realization startled her. She was fighting so hard constantly, but what if she wasn't? That didn't mean she was a bad mother. It just meant she wasn't going to let a _child_, whom she raised, to decide her emotions for once. Henry had had full control over them for far too long and she was so worn out, she just needed an emotional break.

She was still slowly resolving these new feelings when she turned the corner back into the room. The deep frown etched into her face immediately started cracking when she looked at the moving lump on her bed. Luca's head started peeking out from under the mountain of covers, light hair sticking up at all angles as barely open eyes tried to take in the room.

He turned all the way around until he saw Regina by the door watching him and despite still being half asleep, he smiled instantly. Regina felt pulled to him and didn't realize she was smiling brightly back. When she reached the bed, she sat down and Luca sat up and shifted closer so he could hug her. He wrapped his arms around her neck and just rested his body into hers, laying his head against her shoulder and letting his eyes drift closed again as if this were an everyday thing. He seemed to have no qualms whatsoever about his current company and Regina couldn't describe the wonderful feeling of having someone so completely relaxed and happy by her presence.

She knew people would probably claim she was replacing Henry with this child, and though she _completely_ disagreed, even if it was the truth, in this moment, it was hard to blame her. She couldn't stop smiling as she leaned back against the wall and held the boy against her. He seemed to be letting himself drift off again, reassured by Regina's return and able to sleep once again. Regina just lifted a blanket around them again and let her own eyes close, her own self inexplicably reassured by this small child holding onto her now.

* * *

"Regina?…Regina?"

Regina pried her eyes open, taking a second to understand her surroundings. She was a little confused to see Emma standing by her bed, but then when she saw Luca sleeping in her lap, her thoughts cleared.

"Hey, Hook says we're almost there." Emma spoke quietly.

"Oh, okay." Regina blinked a few more times until she was more awake. "We'll be up in a minute."

Emma nodded and turned to leave the room. Regina spent an extra moment, looking down at the sleeping boy. She smiled lightly while brushing back the hairs on his face. After a minute though, she knew they needed to get moving. She squeezed his shoulder and shook lightly.

"Luca." She rubbed up and down his arm and the boy arched his back as he brought his fists to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Mmmm." He hummed before yawning.

"Time to get up now, sweetie. Time to go home." She said and that got his eyes snapping open.

"Home?" He said with a voice thick from sleep, but hopeful.

"Yes. But we need to get ready because it's going to be a bumpy ride. Remember I said it's another world?"

"Yeah."

"Well we used up our only magical bean left, but Captain Hook knew of another portal. So we're going to sail into it."

"Is it going to be scary?" He asked with just a slight touch of nerves. Regina shifted him in her lap to make them face to face.

"It might be. But I promise to keep you safe. Always." She was yet again, taken aback by the relief on his face.

"I'll keep you safe too." He said confidently, having no idea the effect he was having on the woman before him. Regina couldn't even voice a response, instead pulling him into a tight hug which he returned gratefully.

Regina ended up conjuring him up a sweatshirt and a pair of tennis shoes to keep him covered. He was a bit confused by the unfamiliar footwear, but excited at the same time. Once they were set, they grasped hands and made their way up to the deck again.

Regina didn't even try to catch Henry's gaze. In fact, she avoided it. She just didn't care for one more stab of rejection. She didn't need the feeling. Especially when there was suddenly another person needing her to remain stable.

So when they all took up positions, she didn't worry about Henry. Emma and her parents were all surrounding him. He was the safest one on the boat. Luca was the one that needed her care and sadly, the only one that wanted it.

They clung tightly to each other and Regina used a rope to keep them tethered to the boat. The ride back home was rockier than the first one and so Regina couldn't help checking in on Henry, though as she suspected, he was more than covered. They made it through okay, but everyone was shaken up on the other end.

"Are you alright?" She removed the rope and checked in on Luca.

"Yeah, it was kind of fun actually." He was smiling and Regina laughed in response.

"Oh, look!" Mary Margaret ran to the edge of the boat and pointed excitedly. Everyone followed her line of sight to see their town in the distance.

"Is that home?" Luca stood on his tip toes as he looked over the edge.

"Yes…that's our home."

* * *

She was sure of it now. The sting truly was ebbing already. The usually so hurtful glare that was aimed solely at her as Henry called Emma 'Mom' and turned to walk back towards the apartment with the Charmings, just didn't have such a crippling effect. Sure she was sad, disappointed, dejected…the usual. But the number on the pain scale dropped from a ten to...maybe an eight.

It was strange, and there was still that voice asking herself whether or not this change in feeling reflected poorly on her as a mother, or just a person in general. But she couldn't think of a quick reason why she was wrong here. She wasn't abandoning him. She just wasn't chasing him for the moment. He didn't want her, and for the time, she was letting it be.

By the time she was walking Luca through the front door of the mansion, she wasn't troubled about anything. He was so excited and amazed by everything he saw. She walked him straight home on purpose, not wanting to overwhelm him too much too soon. But just the cars wizzing by and the various buildings were thrilling to him. If she hadn't kept a hold of him, she was more than sure he would have sprinted off in any direction.

He seemed to have boundless energy and Regina realized it had to be from spending so much time on a dangerous island, always moving and running about. Laziness would probably not be his problem in life.

"Okay, one more room." She said with a smile, her own excitement rising as she walked him out of her bedroom and down the hall.

"Another one?" He asked, amazed. He had been shocked by the size of the house and number of rooms. It was certainly a far cry from sleeping in caves and trees. Regina was just enjoying seeing that bright smile stay on his face.

"Yes, and this one is special." She said as they stepped into the pristine room. It was clean and had a nice sized bed in it, but otherwise was impersonal.

"Why?" He asked as he took in the room.

"Because, we're going to make it just how you like, and it's all yours." She said in her own excitement, but was out matched by the young boy before her.

"_Mine_?!" He practically squealed, eyes wide as he looked from the room to Regina again.

"Yes." Regina's smile was bright and she accepted Luca's enthusiastic hug. When he pulled away, he turned and jumped onto the bed, his giggles only making Regina all the more happy.

She stood there and leaned against the doorway for a moment watching him. He jumped around, face planting on the pillow and repeating it when Regina laughed in response. He kept giving her mischievous looks before doing some other move that would warrant a positive reaction from Regina. She couldn't help her joyous responses, this being the first time she had genuinely laughed in such a long time, it was all just bubbling over now.

It wasn't until she started cooking lunch that she let her mind really wander about Luca. She looked out at him playing in the yard outside as she worked. She hadn't asked him much yet. This was such a major adjustment and she didn't want to do anything to stress him, but then she was still very curious.

How old he was, was a big question. Physically, he could be anywhere between seven and ten. Emotionally though, he seemed even younger. On one hand, he was relatively well spoken and mannered. But then on the other, there was a very childish side that seemed almost years younger at times. Then that only brought her to just how many years he must have spent in Neverland.

Living in a place where you stay a child for years and years couldn't be good developmentally. It wasn't like the curse. He wasn't living in a haze, redoing the same day over and over. He had lived as a child for probably a very long time, never having the benefit of learning from adults. Well he certainly would now.

Regina actually felt pretty excited about it. She didn't plan on letting them take her Mayoral role away, but she still wouldn't mind something else to do, and spending her free time helping Luca instead of pleading with Emma and the rest of the Charming clan would be a nice change. She was smiling at the thought when she glanced back up.

But then she froze.

Her eyes were the only part of her moving as they scanned over the empty back yard. Panic hit and Regina went running before another thought. She ran right out onto the back porch and checked over the yard again.

"Luca!" She called, moving down the steps and through the yard, looking back and forth. "Luca!"

"Up here!"

Her heart pounded hard a few times as she startled visibly. She jerked her head up and her eyes widened as Luca was sitting happily up in the tree, at least a dozen feet above her head.

"Oh my God." Regina took a few calming breaths. "Okay, sweetie-"

"Do you see how high I climbed?!" He asked excitedly and Regina made herself smile through her discomfort.

"Yes, I do. That's _very_ high. How about you come down now?" Her voice was a little strained, but Luca didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, do I have to?" He asked with a small, quite _fake_, pout. She realized she'd have to look out for that expression. That, mixed with the accent, was quite difficult to resist.

"Yes you do. Come on, it's time for lunch." She had him then. It seemed it would take a little bit of time before the concept of food was normal and not a rare, special occasion for him. She was happy with the victory and almost smiled...right up until Luca jumped.

Her fingers were crackling with magic instantly, reacting to the danger. Luca though, sensed nothing wrong as he landed easily on the next branch down. He looked weightless as he hopped down again and swung over to another available spot. It took only a second to realize he probably had a lot of experience in this area.

Regina still had her hands at the ready, but when Luca was within reaching distance, she powered down the magic and just lowered him down the normal way.

"I like that tree." He smiled as he looked up her.

"Yes, yes, it's my favorite." She paused to look appreciatively at the healthy tree before hesitantly regarding Luca again. She placed her hands on his shoulders, making sure she had his attention. "Okay, sweetheart. I need you to tell me before you go climbing, okay?" She said gently, knowing he was not used to rules, but at the same time, she wouldn't be able to relax if she knew he was running wild, unsupervised. Especially right now, as he was completely unfamiliar with this town. She should have been paying more attention.

"Okay." He said simply, not fighting or arguing. She took a moment to speak again, not used to an easy response.

"Okay…good…good boy." She smiled at him before starting to turn, a hand still on his shoulder. "Now how about something to eat?"

* * *

By evening, Regina was realizing just how full her hands were now. Luca was never ending energy and excitement. She knew part of that was the new curiosity of his surroundings. She was learning quickly though, that she was going to need to learn to start relaxing more. Every time he disappeared from sight for too long, she would immediately start to worry until she found him in another corner of the large house, exploring his new home. At that point, all Luca had to do was grin and say something, anything at all, and Regina was shaking her head and smiling back.

But then it was by that evening, that Regina realized how happy she was for what happened. Not that she wouldn't keep Henry from being taken if she could do it all over again. She'd never let him be hurt or scared like that again. What she knew though, was that if she _could_ do it again, she'd simply protect Henry, and then go retrieve Luca. It was barely one full day together now, and she couldn't imagine not having him around.

She didn't realize how badly she needed someone in her life, just how lonely she was, until she wasn't. Because it wasn't even until just before tucking him in, that she even thought about the empty room down the hall. It was generally a constant, painful reminder at her missed happy ending, of what she had lost. Of Henry.

Luca though, filled a very big part of the void in her. Just being there, smiling at her, running in see her before exploring again…it was warming that _apparently_ cold heart of hers at a surprising rate. It was probably why she survived the phone call with Henry, which seemed to be completely forced by Emma.

Regina could only guess she had explained a little more about what happened prior to the rescue and asked Henry to call so things weren't left off so badly. Regina found she actually appreciated the gesture from Emma, though the results were less than desirable.

Yet, she found herself not cringing so much by his bored, almost irritated tone. She didn't feel so much like crying when she said she loved him and it wasn't returned.

When the conversation concluded with Emma on the phone, apologizing for his behavior, Regina just accepted it for what it was. When the phone was placed back on the receiver, Regina did not go to Henry's room and cry her feelings into his pillow. She didn't pour a large class of cider…or anything stronger. She didn't collapse in her bed in complete emotional exhaustion.

Nope. Regina left the phone, and all the associated problems downstairs as she made her way to Luca's room. She forgot any sad feelings as she helped him wash and dress before bed. She was smiling the whole time as Luca charmed his way into three bedtime stories and she was laughing by the time he re-tried that adorable pout for a fourth.

"Young man, no amount of coercion can break me." She said in a serious tone, though he could see the twitch in her expression.

"But you tell such lovely stories." He grinned again, even batting eye lashes a few times, and at this point, Regina couldn't even remember the bad phone call.

"Well, we need to save some for tomorrow, don't you think?" She asked, making herself stand from the bed.

"I've lost this one, haven't I?" He asked and Regina nodded.

"I'm afraid so. Time for sleep now."

"Okay." He accepted defeat for the night and Regina lifted the covers to tuck him in snugly.

"Alright," She started, looking him in the eye. "I'm just down the hall. If you need something, just call out or come get me, okay?"

"Okay." He seemed okay enough, so Regina finally decided she really should leave.

"Goodnight sweetheart, I love you." She said the words automatically. She was looking down at his little face and she just spoke. But it was the truth. From the moment she saw him in the forest, that has been the truth. When she checked his expression now, he was beaming at her.

"I love you too, Mother."

Well Regina had _thought_ she may make it through this night without crying. But as she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead, it was all she could do to contain the moisture in her eyes. She did make it to her room before they fell and at least this time, she was smiling all the while.


	3. Chapter 3

**You're responses on this story are amazing and very encouraging. Thank you all so very much for following/favoriting/reviewing :D Enjoy!**

* * *

**Lessons for Luca**

-2 Months Later-

"Luca!" Regina called up the stairs, waiting only a few seconds before hearing him running down the hall. He came the rest of the way down the steps before coming to a halt in front of Regina. "Hungry?" She asked, reaching out to fix some of the more unruly hairs falling out of place.

"Yes, can we go to Granny's one last time before you send me back to that horrid place?" He asked with his solemn look. Regina had to fight back a laugh at his choice of words but it was hard to hide her amusement.

"Sweetheart, it's not horrid." She said gently, brushing her fingers down his cheek, but he continued to frown.

"It's like a jail, a prison, Mother." He pleaded and Regina gave him a sympathetic smile.

"It's just a school, darling. You may actually like it if you give it a chance." She tried to sound encouraging but Luca just sighed.

"But what if I'm not ready?" He said quietly and Regina moved her hand to cup his chin.

"Oh, sweetheart, you're going to be just fine. I promise you, you've been learning so quickly with me." And that was true. Months of one on one time had done wonders for Luca and Regina was both surprised and extremely impressed with his development. "I'm more than positive you will shine at school. And you know I'll be helping you everyday." She brushed her thumb along his cheek. "You are one of the bravest boys I know. You can do this…Will you try? For me?" She smiled encouragingly and knew she had him when his frown cracked and he leaned into her touch.

"Oh fine, Mum." He sighed and she leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.

"That's my boy." She said and he completely broke then, smiling at the praise. "I think Granny's is a wonderful idea." All fear and hesitancy disappeared as his face lit up.

* * *

"Well, well look at you." Granny smiled at Luca as she reached out and adjusted the collar of his shirt. "What, no tie?" She questioned, glancing up at Regina. The brunette came up behind Luca, resting her hands on his shoulders and sighed.

"The tie didn't really go over well." She admitted, thinking back to the battle of getting Luca into something resembling a school uniform. The boy would run around shirtless and barefoot if he had any say on it. That was how he spent most of his time at the house, though Regina had to draw the line at going out in public.

"Well, you still look very handsome." Granny winked, before leading them to their table. Regardless for her feelings towards his mother, Granny had a huge weakness for the former lost boy. Within moments of their first meeting, Luca had wormed his way into her heart and Granny just couldn't resist the young boy.

Luca himself loved her as well. Granny was the only one that willingly volunteered to baby sit when Regina had other places to be, and Luca would sit and listen to every story she had with rapt attention. He usually had a hard time sitting still, but Granny had the ability to captivate him for lengths of time.

Granny had their food out within moments and added some extra whipped cream to Luca's pancakes, telling him it was a special day and he deserved a treat. The last thing he needed was extra sweets, but then the excited smile and thanks he gave, made it worth it.

They had just started digging in, when the bell above the door sounded and two others entered the diner. Regina and Luca sat side by side with their backs to the door and didn't notice a thing until a flash of blonde entered their peripheral vision.

"Hey guys." Emma greeted, smiling at them.

"Hi, Emma." Luca had grown much more comfortable with Emma over the months and smiled happily.

"Sheriff." Regina inclined her head politely.

"I wondered if I'd see you here. Nice breakfast before the first day of school?"

"Yes and we are _very _excited, aren't we?" Regina nudged Luca with a small grin. He gave her a look that said they were very much _not_ on the same page here. Emma noticed and laughed.

"Don't worry kid, if I could get through school, you most certainly can."

"I'm not so sure about that." He said and Emma and Regina shared a sad smile.

"Well, if you need something, I'm sure Henry could help you. Isn't that right?" Emma looked over just as Henry walked up.

"Huh?" He glanced at the other two, but gave no other greeting.

"Luca is starting school with everyone this year. It'd be nice if you showed him around."

"Oh…okay." He shrugged, not unkindly, but not offering any other encouragement.

"Would you two like to join us?" Regina asked. She hadn't talked to Henry much recently, and hoped some of his moodiness had rescinded.

"Yeah." Emma agreed without hesitation, sliding into the booth opposite them. Henry paused, but followed suit, sitting directly across his brunette mother.

"Are you excited for classes again, Henry?" Regina spoke neutrally, just as he had. Not unkind but not overly emotional either.

"Yeah I guess." He shrugged again and the conversation discontinued as Granny came to take his and Emma's order.

They stayed in silence for the next few minutes as they ate. It wasn't as tense as the last time this had happened, though that wasn't saying much. Both women, as well as Henry felt that, but Luca was much more distracted by his upcoming day.

"We don't have to stay inside _all_ day, right?" He asked, looking at Henry for the answer. Henry didn't look up until Emma gave him a nudge.

"What? No. There's recess after lunch." He said distractedly, quickly giving his attention back to his food.

"What's recess?" Luca spoke up again but Henry kept his gaze down. Emma's eyes narrowed on her son for a moment until she looked up again.

"It's where you get to go outside and play for a little bit before you finish out the day." She said and Luca's eyes lit up at the news.

"See, I told you it wouldn't all be bad." Regina said quietly to him, winking when he gave her a small smile.

"I guess." He conceded and once again, they sat in silence.

It wasn't until they were finished eating, that anyone spoke again.

"Alright, we should get moving." Regina stood from the table, followed by a very reluctant Luca. He kept his head down as Regina paid Ruby at the register, until Granny walked over and gave him a quick pep talk, making him promise to tell _her_ a story about his first real day of school. It seemed to ease his nerves a bit, right up until the four of them made it to the bus stop outside.

"You promise?" Luca asked Regina, not for the first time today. She gave him a smile as she knelt to eye level.

"Yes, darling, I promise. If anything happens _at all_, I'll come get you, okay?" She squeezed his hands, continuing to smile at him until he returned it.

"Okay. And you'll be right there when it's over?"

"Yes. I will see you at three sharp." She said confidently.

"Why's he acting like that? It's just school." Henry whispered to Emma, as they stood a few feet away.

"Because it's his first day ever. Don't you remember you're first day?"

"Yeah, but I was like five. You're supposed to be nervous when you're five. He's like…nine right?"

"Yes, but give him a break, okay? A lot of people are weird around him because he was a lost boy and he hasn't been away from Regina for this long since we got back to Storybrooke. You're going to be nice to him, right?" She asked, a little weary considering his less than stellar attitude recently. "Henry, I asked you a question." She said, slightly more sternly. It was a tone he had forced out of her more and more recently.

"Yes, fine, whatever." He tried to walk off but Emma caught his arm.

"Henry, for all intents and purposes, he's your little brother. It wouldn't hurt for you to be a role model for him."

It was then the bus pulled up. Right before Henry stepped away, he looked back at Emma.

"He is _not_ my brother."

Emma stared after him, mouth agape. She knew he was angry, he made that much perfectly clear. But it was starting to get out of hand. He wasn't yet a teenager, but it certainly felt like he was in that- _the whole world is against me_, _no one understands me - _stage already. She sighed deeply before turning to see Regina hugging Luca.

Regina was the epitome of confidence as she led Luca onto the bus. She was nothing but encouraging to him and smiled proudly as he pushed his anxiety aside and climbed the steps. The second he disappeared from her immediate sight, that all dissipated.

"Are you okay?" Emma walked up to Regina as the bus was pulling away and the brunette's face dropped. "Regina?" She placed a hand on her shoulder but Regina's gaze stayed on the departing bus.

"Maybe I should have just kept him home."

"Regina, he'll be-"

"What if they treat him poorly? You know I think I'll jut go-"

"_Regina_." Emma squeezed her shoulder and smiled, trying to take her attention. Finally, she got the brunette to turn to her. "He's fine."

"I only walked him through once, he may not remember where to go." She said seriously, but Emma was still smiling.

"He will be fine. He's come unbelievably far since you brought him home. We've all noticed." She said encouragingly, though Regina still looked conflicted.

"But he can hardly sit in one place for more than a few minutes. He gets bored with reading…Oh he really is going to hate it." Regina frowned, shaking her head.

"Ok, seriously, listen to me." Emma started and Regina sighed, but gave her, her attention. "I know you're not thrilled that Mary Margaret will be teaching him, but she's prepared. She was just telling me she was excited because she thought of some fun learning games for the class so they don't spend too much time in one place. He really might enjoy himself." She said and Regina did smile slightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm just-"

"Worried. Yeah, I got that." She said in amusement but then Regina rolled her eyes.

"Alright well, I need to get to the office." She did feel slightly reassured by Emma's words, though she would have her phone by her the whole day. She started turning, only pausing when Emma spoke up again.

"We're still on for lunch, right?"

"Twelve sharp." Regina confirmed before turning back down the sidewalk to her car.

* * *

Luca was so incredibly ready when the bell rang, it was all he could do to keep from running and being reprimanded…again. The day had started okay. He spent the whole morning with Emma's mother, who had been kind to him and made him feel just slightly less nervous around the other kids who eyed him skeptically, whispering and pointing in his presence.

Then again, the afternoon was less than fun. There were far more rules than he had been prepared for. Luca liked to move…a lot. He liked to run. He liked to explore. He liked to be free. At school though, you were allowed none of these.

On his first day, he learned that when you run in the hallway, a fat man in a suit yells at you. When you run in the hallway _twice_, the man makes you stand on the line during recess. When you move off the line, a woman in a blue dress takes you inside and leaves you alone in a cold room. When you get up to explore the cold room, a grey haired woman with flowers on her shirt comes in and takes you to another room where you have to talk to a tall man in a tie.

All in all, he was now completely confident in his prison reference when referring to the place.

Once outside the building, he bolted. He ran straight to the spot his mother had showed him the day before, where she promised she would be waiting. Sure enough, there she was right by the bench outside. He saw her smile and slowed his pace, guilt weighing down suddenly.

He hadn't seen her mad yet. In all their time together, she was very patient and understanding. He had really wanted to make her proud today, but already he had gotten himself into trouble. He didn't want to have to tell her.

When she pulled him into a hug, he accepted it immediately, fearing it might not happen in a moment. When she noted his sad expression and asked what was wrong, he didn't answer verbally. Instead, he pulled the note the tall man in the tie had given him, informing the child it would explain his misbehavior to his mother during the day. He told Luca it needed to be sighed and returned so the man knew he hadn't hid it from her.

He handed it to her with his head down in shame. Regina gave a concerned expression as she looked from him to the note. She read it over and sighed. Luca heard that and when he felt his chin being lifted by her hand, he prepared for her disappointment. He was surprised to see the sympathetic smile she gave him. He was shocked when she kissed him on the cheek and informed him it was time for ice cream.

He didn't understand, but he was more than happy top go with it. He took her hand gladly as she led them back to the car. Somehow, the misery of the day wasn't so prominent in his mind anymore.

Regina greeted Henry on their way to the car. She offered him ice cream but he refused, saying he was supposed to meet his grandfather. Luca didn't understand him either. He knew how Regina was his mother, but that now Henry lived with Emma, who gave birth to him. He didn't think about it much, except when Henry would narrow his eyes slightly at him, not speaking but not being very friendly either. He had never done anything to Henry, but then he wasn't the only person that looked down on Luca. Being a lost boy was not a popular position. He didn't know it was also his new familial ties that upset people.

* * *

On Luca's second day of school, he learned that when you act silly, the kids laugh with you. He hadn't meant to, but when a small slip up in the hallway had kids laughing, he repeated it on purpose and they continued on. When he went to a class called gym today, in place of the art class he had attended yesterday, he kept on, wanting the other kids to keep smiling at him and not go back to the pointing and whispering. He was told this class was about playing games and had been excited, but then all they had done was _discuss_ what would happen, and not actually _do_ anything for the first class.

Luca also learned today, that when you "act out", as they put it, during your class, even gym which was _supposed_ to be about playing, you get yelled at again.

He was frustrated because his mother had explained the rules to him yesterday after they got home. She had apologized for not thinking of it before, and told him of the general rules he had to follow in the school. He didn't know though, that acting silly would get him into trouble.

Again, he was made to stand on the line during recess, but this time, he didn't wander from his spot. He didn't speak or move, knowing that would get him taken inside. He was sad watching everyone else run around him and not be able to join, but he refused to get another note to take home.

In the end, he survived the day with nothing more than the time out. When he had told his mother, she gave him another sympathetic smile and tried to explain why he had gotten in trouble. He was proud to get praise from her for managing to stay put during time out and with that, he had new determination for the next day.

* * *

On Luca's third day, he was nothing but well behaved. He stayed quiet during class, walked slowly in the halls, and listened to every instruction from the adults. He was chomping at the bit to get to run around with the other kids during recess for the first time.

As soon as lunch was supposed to be over, he jumped up and waited by the door. It was then, that the tall man with the tie from the first day walked in and announced that it was starting to rain so no one could go outside. Luca deflated in his disappointment. They had to stay seated in the cafeteria and while everyone kept on chatting away, Luca sat quietly alone.

When he sat back in class again, he looked out the window and saw it had already stopped raining. He tried to stop feeling sad, instead looking to the clock and counting the minutes until three o'clock came again.

Then Luca learned that when you do that, the clock slows down.

When the final bell finally rang out, he was outside in a flash. He was partway to the bench when a ball suddenly appeared in front of him. He looked at it curiously before shouting caught his attention. Looking up, he saw the man from his uneventful gym class, who had given him the time out for misbehaving, waving at him.

"Hey, can you kick that to me?" He yelled.

Luca glanced down and then smiled genuinely for the first time that day. He looked up at the man one more time before pulling his leg back and kicking with all his might at the ball. It sailed through the air before curving down and bouncing on the ground a few times. It then rolled until it came to a stop directly in front of the teacher. The man lifted an eyebrow as he regarded both the ball, and the small boy that had sent it over.

After a few seconds, the man ran over and stopped in front of Luca. The boy, for his part, stepped back, thinking he was yet again, in trouble.

"I'm sorry, I thought you wanted me to do that." He immediately said, not wanting Regina to find him at the exact moment he was being reprimanded again.

"Oh, yeah buddy, you did it just right. Actually, that's why I wanted to talk to you. Have you played soccer before?" He asked kindly.

"I…I used to play with some other boys." He didn't know exactly what the word had meant, but it was not his first time with a ball.

"Well would you like to come play? We could use another kid like you." He said and Luca only really heard the word play and his face lit up.

"I would very much like that." He tried to stay calm.

"Cool, come on."

Luca didn't think anything of it, just following the teacher back to the field next to the school where a group of kids were already playing.

* * *

Regina stepped quickly out of her car and towards the school. Her meeting had gone a few minutes over and judging by the last two days, Luca would be more than ready to tear out of there. When the bench came into view though, she frowned, noticing it was empty.

She walked to it and turned in a circle, trying to locate her younger child. Instead though, she caught sight of her older one, walking towards the busses.

"Henry!" She called out, pleased when changed directions to walk to her.

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen Luca?" She asked, looking up again to try and see him.

"You lost the lost boy?" He asked with his eyebrows raised.

"He isn't a lost boy anymore." She pointed out, keeping her tone soft and kind. She had earned a few smiles from him over the last couple days and hoped to move forward from there.

"That's not what all the kids are saying. They all know who he really is."

"Who he really is, Henry, is an innocent child, taken against his will, just as you were." She was still speaking calmly. She didn't want to push him away and hoped he was coming around.

"Maybe, but he didn't have to work with them. He chose to do bad stuff instead of fighting back against them."

"Well then I guess it's good he's here now, so he can have a second chance. He gets to be around good kids like you." She studied him to see if her words had any effect, but she couldn't tell.

She wasn't ready to discuss Luca's past with anyone, let alone her eleven year old. She had only gotten bits and pieces of his time before and since going to Neverland, but no matter the details, Luca was only nine years of age. He shouldn't be blamed for actions forced on him.

He couldn't even remember a lot. Especially what happened before he was taken. He thought he could remember having parents once, but he could never recall any details. He had nightmares and sometimes, they were of a fire. That one always upset him more than the dreams of the shadow taking him.

Based on the random bits of memories he had revealed, Regina had a few unsettling suspicions. It seemed the fire happened after the time he thinks he had a family and before he ended up living with a group of other children. She had a few thoughts, but he seemed to be repressing things that maybe best left forgotten, so she never pushed it.

Then the memories of Neverland, she knew no one should blame him for. He had no choice, and even if he did, the fact remains that he is only a little boy.

"I was hoping you could spend more time with him." She continued.

"Well I have my own friends now. And he's younger." Henry said stubbornly.

"Yes, I know. But I don't think anyone's been talking to him. You remember what it's like to be lonely, don't you?" She asked gently, expecting him to have some empathy, but then saw instead, his expression darken.

"Yeah, because of _you_." He set his accusing eyes on her and Regina lifted her chin, giving him a nod.

"I'm so very sorry for that, Henry. I'm really happy you have friends now." She said softly and honestly.

"Yeah." Henry said and looked away. Regina sighed, closing her eyes for a second.

"He's over there."

She opened her eyes to see Henry pointing behind her. She spun and saw Luca over by Fredrick and breathed out in relief.

"Thank you Sweet-" She stopped when she realized Henry had marched off in the other direction. "heart."

Just like every other time since his rescue from Neverland, Regina felt the hurt for only seconds before she pushed the feeling aside. She didn't let Henry's jabs sink so deep anymore. She didn't let them break her soul any longer.

Turning swiftly, Regina made her way to the field. She couldn't help but breaking into a smile. Luca was grinning happily as he kicked hard at a ball on the ground, sending it straight for the net ahead of him. Fredrick clapped him on the back in praise before pointing to another ball. Luca sent that one straight for his target and repeated it down the line with every ball.

Regina stayed off to the side, wanting to watch but not stop the moment. She couldn't look away even for a moment though. He looked so happy, running back and forth, smiling in thrill every time the ball went into the net.

Fredrick put another kid into the goal and instructed Luca to try and make it without letting the ball be stopped. He had such determination in his face at the new challenge and accepted it excitedly. He kicked the ball hard, sending it down into the left corner successfully. When he tried the same move again though, the goalie stopped it. Fredrick coached him a little more and then Luca started getting more creative, sending the ball in a different spot each time, evading the goalie again and again. Regina was smiling proudly the whole time.

"Didn't expect to see you here." A soft voice startled Regina and she jerked her head to the side. Her jaw fell open slightly.

"Katherine." She breathed out.

"Hello Regina." Katherine smiled softly at her.

"I…uh…hello." She shook her head, trying to work through her surprise. "Uh…how are you?"

"I'm very well." She continued to smile and Regina finally managed to return it.

"I'm happy to hear that. Does this mean you and Fredrick are…well…"

"Reunited, yes." She looked over to her husband, her expression affectionate.

"I'm glad to hear that." She said truthfully.

"Thank you. I assume that is the child everyone is talking about." She nodded her head towards the boy chatting excitedly with her husband.

"Yes. That is my son, Luca." She made sure to address him properly, hating that so many people in town thought of him only as The Lost Boy living with The Evil Queen. Katherine though, didn't seem to speak with any disdain in her tone, only curiosity.

"Well he is quite adorable." She admitted.

"Yes, he most certainly is. Though I'm afraid he knows that fact all too well." She smiled and Katherine laughed easily.

"Uses it to his advantage, does he?"

"I'll admit he gets what he wants more than he probably should." She looked away, almost embarrassed, but Katherine continued to smile happily.

They stood in silence for a few more minutes as Luca started playing with another boy there, passing it back and forth. Regina was thrilled to see him interacting with another kid.

"Well, I have a few errands I have to run, but it was good seeing you again, Regina."

"Katherine." Regina started quickly as the blonde started to walk away. Katherine looked at her expectantly and Regina took a deep breath. "Would you care to…would you like…will you meet me for coffee sometime? I'd really like to talk to you. I believe I have some things to apologize for. It may take more than a few minutes." She gave an almost nervous looking smile.

"I'd love to, Regina. Just give me a call." She nodded to her before turning and leaving.

Regina found herself feeling relief of a burden she didn't know she'd been carrying. She hadn't thought about missing Katherine's friendship. She hadn't seen her in a long time but now that she did, she felt guilt weigh in again and was glad for an opportunity to have someone to talk to again. The only person she could call a friend was Emma, but in truth, Regina kind of needed someone to talk with _about_ Emma.

"Did you see?!" Luca's voice brought Regina out of her thoughts as he came running forward. She smiled instantly.

"Yes! You were amazing!" She praised, cupping his now pink cheeks in her hands. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes! They said I can be on their team. Can I, _please_?!" He was practically bouncing in excitement and Regina knew there would be no denying him of this happiness. The new friends surely wouldn't hurt either.

"Of course, sweetheart." As it usually did, his bright, vibrant smile warmed her heart even further.

* * *

By the time they made it home, they had picked up everything Fredrick had specified Luca would need. The child was opening everything on the floor of the living room, eyes bright with thrill. He jumped up when Regina finally figured out how to inflate the new ball and she handed it over.

"Not in the house!" She yelled after him as he tore out of the room with the ball. He stopped abruptly, his feet squeaking to a halt on the hardwood, before changing direction and running straight through the house and out the back door. Regina laughed as she followed him outside.

"Play with me!" He yelled, kicking the ball around the yard.

"Oh, honey, I do not think I will be very good at that." She shook her head but he was adamant. She nearly rolled her eyes as he pulled out the signature pout.

"Oh _please_, Mother. I'm sure you're fantastic." He kept up the face and Regina could feel her resolve breaking.

"Oh God…fine." She answered, watching his expression turn victorious.

She glanced down at her attire as she realized kicking a ball with a skirt and heels probably wasn't ideal. She waved a hand over herself to change, before joining the energetic boy in the yard.

* * *

Emma knocked one last time before finally stepping back. She wondered why no one was answering. Regina's car was in the driveway and the lights were on inside the house. They should be home. She took a few steps down the path before she heard laughter. Turning her head, she realized it must be coming from the backyard.

She walked around the side of the house, following the continued sounds of joy. She had just reached the back of the house when she suddenly faltered in her steps. She had heard them laughing and could assume they were playing around. She just had not expected to see Regina Mills, former queen and hard-ass Mayor, donned in skin tight athletic shorts and an equally body hugging t-shirt.

She couldn't decide what was more surprising. The clothing or the way Regina threw her head back in genuine, unbridled laughter as she kicked a ball what seemed to be at least a dozen feet from it's intended target. She would have been staring much longer had she not tripped from her distraction and alerted the other two of her presence.

* * *

**I intend on trying to explain a bit of Henry's behavior, but that will be journey in this story. It's not a quick turn around. Thanks for reading! Please Review :) **


	4. Chapter 4

_"You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact they're not."_

-Jodi Picoult_  
_

* * *

**Once Upon A Time**

"Hey." Emma gave an awkward wave before dusting herself off and walking to join them.

"Are you alright?" Regina met her halfway, looking her up and down curiously.

"Yeah, I uh…I was looking for you and…kinda tripped over that rock." She pointed and laughed at herself. Regina lifted an eyebrow, noticing the way Emma's eyes seemed to be wandering a bit.

"Well what can I do for you, Sheriff?"

"Oh uh, well Henry came home today and was complaining about a talk you two had, I just-"

"I didn't say anything to upset him-"

"No, no, I know." Emma reassured quickly. "I actually figured you might be upset by it. I know has not been easy recently." She said and Regina blinked a few times.

"Oh…well actually, I'm fine." She said honestly and now Emma paused.

"Are you sure? I mean I know what he says hurts." She said and Regina looked back at Luca, running about happily, before stepping closer to Emma to keep their conversation private.

"Honestly, it's more like a chronic pain now. At some point, you stop letting it ruin you. You learn to deal with it and let yourself enjoy life again." She said simply, no sadness, only understanding in her tone. Emma was shocked by the answer.

"You're not…you're not like giving up on him, right? I mean in know he's not giving you a chance, but I still think he'll come around one day."

"And when he does…_if_ he does, I will be waiting for him with open arms." She said truthfully. "I love him. I always will. In my eyes, he will always be my son. But he does not want, or need me. I won't force myself on him anymore."

When she finished, Emma couldn't think of anything to say. She knew Regina had stopped pushing Henry. That was obvious. Before Neverland, she didn't relent in her effort to have him back. Since their return, and the adoption of Luca, Regina had nearly completely stopped bringing it up. She stopped coming over to the apartment, stopped seeking Henry out to talk.

Instead, she greeted him kindly each time they saw each other. She always asked about him and his well being and smiled during the few times that no angry words were exchanged. She was welcoming every time Henry made any advance towards her.

Now that Emma thought of it, Regina had done everything she needed to go halfway and wait. It was up to Henry if he wanted to meet her in the middle. If he wanted to put any effort into having a relationship, Regina was ready and waiting. But it was up to him.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, watching Luca. He was so carefree, it was a reassuring sight to see by both woman. He just had a light about him that was beautiful to see and it had them both unable to look away.

"You know…" Regina started, not looking away from her child. "…when I first saw Henry, when they put him into my arms, I just felt an immediate connection with him. Right away, I knew we belonged together…"

She trailed off for a moment, pausing and smiling as Luca turned to grin at them both before running off again. Emma just waited patiently. There were times recently that Regina opened up a bit more around her, and Emma found it was best to listen when that happened as to not ruin the moment and waste the opportunity to learn more.

Since they had made the decision to start over and get to know each other as if they didn't have a world of issues between them, they had actually become friends.

They had started by simply speaking politely to each other. No arguments, no accusations. Just conversations about relevant topics, usually in regards to the town. Without fighting, spending time together wasn't so painful, so meetings went on just slightly longer than normal, as town issues turned into casual conversation.

Once they had reached that level, Emma had been comfortable enough to speak openly with her in public without fear of repercussion. Regina had reached the point of inviting Emma to sit with her and Luca when they were out. Luca liked her, as she was kind to him, never glaring accusingly at them or whispering as he came near like so many others.

That led to Regina inviting Emma to sit when she was alone, in the very few times she was away from Luca. She was lucky that Granny was so in love with him, as the older woman liked taking him to the park from time to time, even when Regina didn't have a need for it.

Then all that led to them purposefully deciding to meet solely for the purpose of having lunch and talking as friends. They had reached a level Emma hadn't even thought possible. It was getting surprisingly easy with Regina. She told a few stories of her youth that were told without pain or anger and Regina had listened and laughed easily. She had even spoken of times in her own youth, before the world became a dark place for her. Her stories were also told without sadness or angst.

Henry was the sensitive topic. The only time it was brought up was when Emma was apologizing for his behavior. Regina accepted the words without much emotion and Emma hadn't questioned her on it until today. She didn't want to rock the boat now that things had finally calmed.

All in all though, Emma was realizing she really did like her. In these moments when she wasn't so heavily guarded, Emma really enjoyed listening to her. She was enjoying it more and more in fact and today, when Henry had told her what was said, she jumped on the opportunity to come see the other woman.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Regina continued.

"When I saw Luca in Neverland, I felt that again. That connection that we were meant to be family. That he was meant to be my son. I loved him instantly, as I did and still do, Henry." She spoke so tenderly, the way she did each time she talked about her children to Emma.

"I'm really glad you decided to bring him home." Emma said quietly and Regina turned to regard her. After a second, she smiled softly.

"As if I could have made another choice." She said and Emma nodded understandingly.

"So how was his first few days of school?" Emma asked, deciding to move back to easier topics.

"Well I was a little worried. He has a lot of energy that needs to be released and he can't do that enough during class. But now it seems, we may have found a solution. Apparently he has some hidden talents." She said as Luca kicked the ball up a few times, not letting it hit the ground. "They already asked him to join the team."

"Really?" Emma asked, impressed and Regina nodded proudly. "Wow, so like…you're a legitimate soccer mom now?" She grinned and Regina turned to her again.

"Does that mean something specific?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah. It means you have to wear jeans and drive a mini van." She laughed at the face Regina made.

"I will _not_ drive a mini van." She said incredulously and Emma started laughing.

"I'm sorry Regina, but I don't make the rules." She kept laughing until Regina rolled her eyes.

"You're ridiculous."

"Come on, come play!" Luca called out to them.

"Sweetie, I have to start dinner." She tilted her head at him. He sighed, but then smiled again.

"Can Emma play with me?" He asked hopefully.

"Emma probably has to get home to Henry."

"Actually, Henry's out camping with my dad tonight." She shrugged and Luca grinned again.

"So will you play with me?"

Emma glanced at Regina, looking for permission to accept his offer. When she got a nod of approval and she was sure Regina was okay with it, she turned back to him and nodded happily. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the porch before joining him.

Regina stood for another moment. There were plenty of things she did differently with Luca than Henry. Other than the fact that she had made many mistakes with Henry and she didn't want to repeat them, they were completely different kids. They needed to be approached differently. But now, she almost found humor in the moment.

Regina knew that when she first met Emma, if she would have found her playing with Henry in her yard, she would have exploded. She probably would have pressed charges for trespassing. Now though, she found herself smiling at the blonde pair running about. She moved into the kitchen and opened the windows so she could watch them as she cooked.

* * *

Emma accepted the offer to stay for dinner. It was the first time they did something like this in a home, as opposed to the diner or someone's office. But then neither minded. The three of them actually had an enjoyable meal.

Regina was blown away when Luca went down for bed so easily afterwards. He usually needed awhile to calm down before hand, but then he and Emma had exhausted quite a bit of energy playing. He had fallen asleep during the first story, which was extremely abnormal as he generally pushed for at least three before finally succumbing to sleep. Tonight though, she watched his eyes flutter within the first ten minutes and simply stopped and kissed him goodnight before leaving him to his dreams.

"You didn't have to do that." Regina said as she came back to find Emma finishing the dishes.

"It's no problem. Dinner was delicious, thank you."

"You're welcome. Glass of cider?"

"Absolutely."

They sat down in the living room for a bit, drinking and continuing light conversation. Regina started a fire with her magic, not ashamed of it's use, and they both sat back and relaxed. Emma waited until the alcohol had created a calming warmth before voicing her thoughts.

"I'm really worried about Henry." She started, looking into the fire.

"What?" Regina knit her brow slightly as she regarded her.

"He's so angry all the time. I don't even think he knows exactly why. But I think he was expecting some perfect magical happy ending to happen once everything settled, but instead, he's stuck back in his normal life. Stuck with me."

"Emma, he _choose_ you." She said, and shockingly, without any saddened emotions.

"I…I know, I just…I think he's frustrated that no matter where he goes, he doesn't get the ending he wants."

"As ironic as this statement is, at some point, we must all grow up. He simply hasn't learned how the world really works. The perfect family doesn't exist. He has to decide to be happy."

Emma was still surprised by the lack of sadness in her tone. She had truly managed to start living without letting everything hurt her. She was deciding to be happy just as she had said.

"Do you think…would you be interested, in spending time with us? Both of you with both of us?" She asked and Regina waited a minute before answering.

"You think that's a good idea? Not only does Henry not desire _my_ company, but he made it clear that he doesn't want to spend time with Luca. I can handle what Henry throws at me, but I won't let Luca be hurt in the process."

"Right, yeah I understand. I just thought if we could start acting like everything is normal. Like we can all get along, maybe he'll start coming around."

"Perhaps. Maybe in some more time."

"Cool." Emma nodded, finishing off the rest of her drink. "So uh, do you think you might want to...to meet up again, like maybe we could-"

Emma was cut off by a yell from upstairs. Luca called out for Regina and the brunette was on her feet instantly.

"I'm sorry, I need to go check on him."

"Oh, it's cool. I'll let myself out." Emma smiled, getting up and moving out of the room. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Oh, and Emma," Regina started and the blonde turned. "I'd love to. Just give me a call." She said and then started moving up the stairs. Emma grinned before turning again and leaving.

Regina ran right up the steps. As soon as she was in the hall, Luca was out of his room and coming to her. She hurried as she saw his eyes wet.

"Oh sweetheart, come here." She dropped down and he was in her arms instantly. He let out a choked sob and she held him tighter, holding the back of his head with her hand. "Shh, it's okay." She rubbed his back with her other hand and could feel him shaking against her. With a thought, she transported them to her bed. That magic was usually something he really enjoyed, thinking it was an adventure to not know where she would take them, but this time, he was too preoccupied.

She sat them against the headboard and pulled him securely into her arms, lifting a blanket around them to keep them warm. They stayed like that for a moment as Regina resumed rubbing small circles on his back. She gave him a little time before speaking.

"Was it the fire or the shadow?" She asked gently. He sniffed a few times before responding.

"It was both." He said and Regina tilted her head slightly, looking down at his face.

"You had both dreams?" She asked curiously.

"No, the shadow was there before the fire."

"Oh." Was all she said, but her mind was working.

Usually, he either dreamed of being trapped with the fire around him, or the day the shadow came for him. The first time he had told her of the fire dreams, she had immediately thought of Henry and his room of fire. But Luca remembered a few small details that led her to believe it as a bedroom he was trapped in, and almost certainly was one he had truly been in. She had even consulted with Archie on it and he agreed.

She was curious now if the fire was related to Pan's shadow. It didn't make sense though that it would do something like that. It was meant to retrieve children, not hurt them. That would defeat the purpose, especially considering it had obviously wanted Luca.

"Mummy?" He said as fresh tears fell. He only ever called her that in the few times he was truly scared.

"Yes, baby?" She spoke softly, trying to soothe him.

"I did it." He said and pressed his eyes closed. She suddenly had a thought, but hoped it wasn't right.

"Did what? It's okay, you can tell me anything."

"I started the fire." He said and Regina closed her eyes for second, holding him tighter again. She was right. A few other things were falling into place in her mind now, though she hoped it wasn't all true.

He had a family before the fire. He didn't after.

"To stop the shadow?" She asked carefully.

"Yes, he kept coming every night. I tried to use a candle because they don't like the light. I think I dropped it." He started crying again and she rocked him, placing a kisses on his head.

"It's okay, baby. It's okay."

It was all making more and more sense now. The children in Neverland always started forgetting their families they left behind, so they wouldn't care to go back. Luca only had remembered the last place he had been before being taken. The first dreams had started the week he got here and only increased. His mind was trying to work through the memories.

"Are you angry?" He asked and Regina's eyes shot open.

"_What_? No. No, _of course _not." She wiped his tears away, but they continued.

"I did bad things."

"Oh, sweetie, that was an accident. It was just an accident."

"But I did bad stuff with the Lost Boys too. I'm bad like they say." He said and Regina could see he was just feeling suddenly overwhelmed by everything. She certainly understood his grief.

"Listen to me, Luca." She said and continued to rock him. "Having accidents, making mistakes, or doing bad things, doesn't make you a bad person. I have done plenty of bad things in my past. You are such a good boy, Luca. I love you so much and that will never _ever_ change."

She just held him then while her words sunk in and his tears slowed. He started to calm eventually and closed his eyes as his mother rocked him back to sleep.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, while the nightmares completely discontinued and Luca seemed to be handling the knowledge of the fire better, others around him continued to treat him as an outsider. It hadn't been a problem during the remainder of the summer when they kept mostly to themselves and Regina hadn't let him with anyone other than Granny. But now that he was around other kids, he had become a target.

Most of the kids at school wouldn't talk to him. He was the Lost Boy. He lived with the Evil Queen. He was bad. That was the general knowledge. Luca was, ironically, the only one who didn't know the full extent. He hadn't had the exposure and Regina hadn't sat him down to explain her evil past. That was one of the few reasons she agreed to talk to Dr. Hopper. She still hadn't grown the confidence to start confessing stuff yet though.

The relief he had, was playing soccer, which immediately became his favorite activity. He was very good at it, and that had earned him tentative friendships with the other kids on the team. They were a bit skeptical, but Luca was already one of their best players and that was hard to argue with. The problem was that they were all older. One or two grades above Luca, therefore leaving him alone during the school day.

The advantage he had, was the fact that adults were finding it harder to resist him. He was working hard to be polite to the teachers, trying his best to keep from getting in trouble. He would be polite, they would smile, _he_ would smile, then they would fall in love with him. Even the tall man in the tie commended him on his behavior, giving him a new note to take to his mother for that reason. That bought Luca another ice cream.

As helpful as soccer was for both Luca _and _Regina, who got to spend a more appropriate amount of time in the office and bring less work home, it was only three days a week and so they had to find activities to fill the other days.

Today, Regina decided to take him to the park after school. He got to run as fast and hard as he liked, and Regina could multi task a conference call as she watched. When one of the men droning on in her ear addressed her personally, she finally stepped away from the sounds of yelling children to better hear and respond.

Luca was just lost in the fun of the playground. He loved coming here and could entertain himself all day climbing and running about. He was so lost in his fun, that he backed right into another kid.

"Sorry." He said immediately and moved to step around him. The kid had other ideas though, and moved into his path.

"You're that Lost Boy." He said with a frown.

"I'm not a lost boy." He said casually, again trying to step around and _again_, being blocked. The bigger kid looked around them and then smiled.

"Didn't you come here from Neverland?" He asked, stepping uncomfortably close to Luca.

"Yes, I was taken there. But my mum brought me home."

"Oh right, the Evil Queen took you back to her lair." He said, lifting his chin superiorly. Luca frowned and tilted his head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said and the bigger kid laughed.

"I'm talking about your _mum_," He said mockingly. "the evil witch, taking in the evil Lost Boy." Now when he spoke, Luca's eyes narrowed.

"My mum is _not_ evil." He gritted out and the other boy stepped closer.

"She is _the _evil around here. She's the worst one. Worse than the Dark One. I mean at least _he_ didn't curse us all here. She's an evil bitch and-"

Luca surged forward and shoved the other kid right in the chest, pushing him hard enough to make him fall backwards a few feet in shock. Luca was noticeably smaller, but there was fire in his eyes and it caused the other boy a brief moment of pause.

"Don't talk about her like that." He said, still through clenched teeth, his jaw set.

"Oh you're going to regret that Lost Boy."

He grabbed Luca's shirt, but the boy was fast. Luca leaned forward and threw his arms out as he pulled back and let his shirt be ripped off over his head. Fighting like this was something he was no stranger too. He was lurching forward again, intent on using the other boy's loss of balance from pulling the shirt to shove him back, but as soon as he was moving forward, an arm came from behind him.

Regina reached him just in time. She came up from behind and threw her arm over his shoulder and across his torso, the other arm wrapping around his waist, and she pulled Luca's body back into hers.

Luca didn't know what was happening and automatically tried to pull away, but Regina held him tightly. It took him a few extra seconds to hear and understand her voice.

"Luca. Luca, _stop_. Sweetheart, stop." She spoke right into his ear and he seemed to suddenly snap out of it, stopping his fight against her, though his breathing was still deep and fast. "Good boy. That's my boy." She smiled before she heard a soft laugh in front of her and her eyes turned hard and cold as they slowly moved up the form before them. The kid froze and swallowed hard.

She wanted to scare the living hell out of the kid. She wanted to lift her hand and show him the magic he feared so much. She wanted to string him up in the monkey bars.

But then one glance up and Regina saw all the other kids and parents were watching them now. She was almost shaking herself with the desire to do a little damage to the other kid, but then she reined it in. For Luca more than anything else. She did though, turn her eyes on him once more while removing the arm around Luca's waist to reach out.

"_Give me_, my son's shirt, _now_." She said slowly, her tone low and dangerous.

The kid looked like he may actually pee his pants or throw up…or both. He started lifting the shirt and Regina snatched it aggressively from his hand, making him flinch. She curled her lip into a snarl before replacing her arm around Luca and disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Regina released Luca when they appeared in the house. She stepped back and took a few deep breaths, trying to think through how to handle this. She had been shocked to check on Luca and see him shove another kid. She had never seen that angry look on his face before. He looked enraged as he surged forward and then when he tried to again.

What had her angry though, was the other little twerp grabbing her son. The way he fisted Luca's shirt and towered over him threateningly had Regina's blood boiling instantly. She couldn't voice that though. Especially not to Luca. She had to teach him or else they would have some real problems in the future.

She took him by the hand and brought him into the living room. Making sure to relax herself further, Regina sat him down and kept a hold of his hand.

"Luca, we need to talk about what just happened." She started and Luca dropped his head, though he did look back up and give her his attention. "Sweetheart, you cannot go after people like that. You can't lash out. I know there are a lot of rules here you're still learning, but you have to know that fighting isn't okay here." She said and Luca looked down again.

"I'm sorry. I just got angry." He said quietly.

"I understand that people make you angry sometimes. I understand that more than anyone. But we cannot strike against people. Even if it's justified." She said, her own past fueling her words. She saw Luca look like he was going to say something before rethinking it. She waited, but he stayed silent in this thoughts. "What was it that got you so upset?" She asked gently.

"He was just being mean." He replied but Regina narrowed her eyes.

"Tell me what he said, Luca." She assumed it had been another crack about being "The Lost Boy", but then didn't understand why he wasn't just telling her. He generally told her everything.

"…he just…" He hesitated, taking a deep breath and still not meeting her eyes. "…he called you something." He finished and Regina opened and closed her mouth. She wasn't expecting that at all and took a moment to reply.

"Okay, well what did he call me?"

Again, Luca hesitated.

"You can tell me. You know you can tell me anything." She encouraged.

"He kept calling you…" He looked up at her. "…he called you evil. He said you were the Evil Queen." He finished and Regina froze.

This had been her thought everyday since she brought him home. When and how she could tell him of her past without scaring him away. She had spent months agonizing over it. Several sessions with Archie coaching her in how to approach it. Yet she still wasn't ready.

She nearly fell apart when realizing suddenly, that this was the exact age Henry had discovered her past. When he had started pulling away from her. She just barely got Luca, she didn't know if she'd survive him turning his back on her too.

But then she knew how much worse it would be if she kept the truth from him. She may have a chance at getting him back if she confessed now. If she brushed him off and he discovered she had lied to him…well Regina knew just how bad that could be.

"Sweetie…I need to tell you a story." She started, trying to suppress the burning behind her eyes.

Luca gave her his love so freely. He had trusted her from the first moment they had met, and that had never changed. He spoke openly to her, never afraid to tell her his feelings. But then that was because he hadn't had a reason to be afraid.

And now Regina had to give him one.

She turned on the couch to face him fully. She took his hands, using the moment of having him willingly touch her to try and calm herself. It only made her more sad though, her fear increasing at the thoughts of what he might be like after this.

She couldn't stop now though. She couldn't repeat her same mistakes again. She couldn't lose another son.

"Alright…"

She sucked in one more deep breath.

"Once upon a time."

* * *

Regina wanted to get up and run. She wanted to disappear in a cloud of smoke. She wanted to be anywhere but face to face with the one person who still loved her.

She had told him everything. Everything in an age appropriate fashion of course, but it wasn't pretty. She nearly choked when getting to the part about trying to poison Emma, but accidentally hurting Henry instead. Somehow, telling of her childhood and then the betrayal of Snow, all the way to the curse casting hadn't been as painful. Getting to her mother had been another point she had to sensor, though she felt a tear slip out at that part of her story.

She explained her trial and error in trying to get Henry to accept her again. She was careful to keep from sounding like a victim there. She told him what she did, the mistakes she made. She needed to tell this story as impartially as possible so that there would be no accusations of dishonesty later.

Luca had never stayed so still for so long in his entire life. He had always loved stories and his mother had the ability to captivate him any day. Today though, he couldn't have lost focus even if he tried. He hardly blinked, never once looking away from her face, even in the times she had turned away in a lost thought or moment of released emotion.

He had not seen this coming. He heard plenty of whispers over the months, but the whole world was so unfamiliar to him, he didn't dwell much on what he didn't understand. Now though, the bits and pieces he heard fit into her story. After she finally silenced, he hadn't known what to say, instead blinking and staring straight at her.

Regina just couldn't take it. He had said nothing and her fears were overwhelming her. Her emotions were rising and gaining control and to her complete dismay, tears started falling down her face.

She turned away quickly, horrified at the display in front of the young boy. Her hands reached up to wipe furiously at her eyes, trying to shake the emotions she couldn't contain.

Just when she went to stand, to finally get away from this room where her young child was about to accept the evil of his mother, she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. She turned very slowly and parted her lips as her jaw started to fall open.

Luca leaned up on his knees before pushing himself over to Regina. She could do nothing more than stare as he used those small fingers to wipe away the tears staining her cheeks. That had her right on the edge, right at the point of losing it all together.

And then Luca wrapped his arms around her. He let his hand rub soft circles on her back, just as she had for him when he was upset, and used the other to hold her close. Regina was still gaping when he placed a small kiss on her cheek and she was completely gone when he spoke into her ear.

"It's okay, Mother. It's okay. I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

**A Day Of Surprises**

-1 month later-

Regina woke up bright and early just like any other day. She spent a few minutes in her bathroom before throwing a robe on and making her way out of her room. She walked down the hall to Luca's room, intent on getting him up to start the long process of getting ready for school. When she walked in though, his bed was empty.

She tried to suppress the automatic worry as she checked the whole room and the bathroom. Still not seeing him, she started down the steps. Just as she began walking the floor, she called out for him. In only seconds, Luca appeared in front of her and she sighed in relief.

"What are you doing?" He asked quickly and Regina frowned, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You have to go back to bed." He stepped closer and attempted to physically turn her back towards the steps.

"Sweetie, what is going on?"

"You have to go back to bed. Now." He said firmly, his expression serious. Regina shook her head, still completely confused.

"Okay, what are you up to?" She crossed her arms, standing solidly in her spot.

"Mother, you must go back to bed. Please?" He gave that pouty look and Regina sighed.

"I…okay. But I'm coming back down in five minutes, understood?"

"Yes, Mum." He said, grinning. Regina eyed him warily for another few seconds before slowly walking back up stairs.

She racked her brain, but couldn't come up with a logical reason for his behavior. He usually slept as late as she allowed him. For as hyper as he could be during the day, he could sleep forever it seemed. This was the first time he had awoken before her and now he was acting so oddly.

She did as he said, but mostly, she was just too confused to argue further. She sat down on her bed with her hands in her lap and just waited. The minutes certainly slowed down, but after only three, she heard slow footsteps in the hall.

"Are you in bed?" He called, still out of sight of her open door. She shook her head as she adjusted further back against the headboard.

"Yes." She answered.

"Close your eyes." He called again and Regina shook her head, though now she was smiling.

"Okay Mister, you better tell me what's going on this instant." She demanded, though her tone was nothing but amused.

"Well are your eyes closed yet?" He asked, and after she rolled them, she did as he asked.

"Yes, they are."

"Okay."

Regina heard him coming in slowly and felt the bed shake. It dipped and she knew he was crawling around a bit. She was very tempted to sneak a peak, but managed to control the urge.

"Okay, open them."

Now she was surprised. She tilted her head and smiled slightly, though she was still so very curious. She looked down at the tray Luca placed on her lap, a bowl of cereal, two pieces of toast, a glass of juice and an apple. She was still smiling as she glanced up at Luca.

"What's all this?" She asked and then Luca pulled a folded piece of construction paper from his paper.

"Happy birthday, Mother." He had a big grin on his face and held the card out for Regina.

Regina though, was completely stunned. She stared at him for a few seconds before looking off to the side in thought. Her eyes widened as she looked over to the clock on her nightstand and noted the date. How in the world she could have forgotten her own birthday was mind blowing. But then, she had had a hell of a year. What with the curse breaking, Henry, and then Luca, her mind had been completely occupied with other things. She was more than shocked that not only she had forgotten, but by Luca right now.

"How…how did you know?" She asked him as he was still grinning from ear to ear.

"Mrs. Blanchard told me."

Again, Regina couldn't conceal her surprise.

"She did?"

"Yeah. I told her I wanted to do something special and she said you might like breakfast in bed." He looked down at the tray. "See I used Apple Jacks, cause you like apples, and apple juice and I got that apple from the tree- But I didn't climb it." He quickly amended and Regina smiled again. He handed her the card again, and this time, she took it.

She was filled impossibly higher with emotion as she looked over the handmade birthday card. He had written Happy Birthday Mother! and drew a picture of the two of them together playing soccer with Regina's tree in the background. Regina's eyes were quickly gaining moisture, but she suppressed it.

"Sweetheart, this is…this is absolutely amazing. I love it so much." She reached an arm out and Luca tucked himself right into her side. "I love _you_." She said and placed a kiss on his head.

"I love you too." He couldn't stop smiling, feeling thrilled by Regina's happiness.

"Share with me?" She asked and he nodded enthusiastically, settling himself into the space beside her.

If it was even possible, Luca and Regina had only gotten closer. Now that Luca new what the whispers and glares were about, he became more defensive and protective of Regina. He couldn't understand why everyone acted the way they did. He knew the difference between good and bad, and that his mother had done many bad things. But the fact that she had overcome her past and was able to love him like she did, made him love her so much more.

He also could relate to her in a way. He was ashamed of the things he had done in Neverland. Though he felt like he didn't have a choice at the time, he knew now maybe he could have fought back. Maybe he could have made a run for it sooner. He had always been looking for an opening and had tried several times. He just never got very far before Pan or one of the other lost boys came for him. The only reason he was ever successful was because of his mother. Yet another reason to love her.

He was really excited when Mrs. Blanchard told him of the day that was coming. He wanted to show Regina how he loved her and was excited for an opportunity. He hadn't celebrated a birthday in a long time. He didn't even know when his was. They only really figured out his age from Dr Whale doing some tests and determining what it must be. But his teacher had held him after class one day and told him his mother was having one soon and when he asked her help, she immediately gave him the advice he needed. He was thrilled that the breakfast in bed had gone over so well.

They finished off the meal completely. Regina almost never ate cold cereal, and especially not something packed with so much sugar, but then she just found it so adorable that he was trying to make everything apple themed for her.

"Alright young man, as much as I'm enjoying this, we must get ready for the day." She patted him on the knee and of course, he lolled his head over on her shoulder, his expression overly innocent.

"But it's your birthday. We really must celebrate, don't you agree?" He asked and Regina smiled at his batting eyelashes.

"Oh course sweetheart…_after_ school." She laughed as Luca dropped his head in defeat.

* * *

As wonderful as her surprise morning had been, Regina had lost all warm feelings by noon. All morning had been nothing but meetings with citizens who clearly detested that the former Evil Queen still held her position. Though she knew none of them would dare challenge her, she still had to deal with backhanded comments and narrowed, skeptical eyes.

She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to quell a growing headache. Just as she let her eyes close and took in a deep breath, a knocking sounded at her door and Regina instantly frowned. She waited until it started up again before sighing and answering.

"Come in." The frown eased at the sight of blonde hair and a leather jacket. "Emma."

"Hey." She smiled before stepping in, revealing the Granny's bag in hand.

"What's this?" Regina sat up straighter and nodded towards the seat opposite her. Emma took it gratefully.

"This is lunch." She said simply, lifting the containers from the bag.

"I didn't know we had anything planned." She said with a raised eyebrow, though she couldn't deny the improvement in her mood now.

"Well it's your birthday, free lunch is implied." She winked and Regina found herself surprised yet again.

"Mary Margaret told you as well?"

"No, Henry did last week. Though, I can't imagine why _you_ didn't tell me." She looked pointedly at Regina.

"To be completely honest, dear, I've lost track of the days myself."

"Oh, wow. Well we actually went to Granny's this morning. Figured you and Luca would be there."

"Actually, Luca made me breakfast in bed." She smiled automatically.

"Awww. That's awesome."

"Yes it was very sweet. And this too. Thank you for bringing lunch."

"You're welcome." Emma smiled warmly at her.

* * *

By the time they finished, it had been over an hour, though neither had noticed the time. Both were smiling still as they dropped the now empty containers in the trash. After that, Emma stood with her hands in her pockets, reluctant to leave right away.

"Well, I guess I should really get back to the station." She shifted her feet and Regina resisted rolling her eyes.

"We should both be getting back to work."

"Alright well…I'll see you later." She started to turn until Regina cleared her throat.

"Um, Miss Swan? It _is_ my birthday after all." She gave a small smile and Emma grinned almost shyly back as she made her way back to Regina.

She lifted a hand to Regina's cheek and with less hesitation then the last few times, Emma pressed her lips to Regina's.

They stayed together for another moment, as Regina's hands came to rest on Emma's waist. The slightly wary nature in which they both approached this new development in their relationship disappeared once they were in physical contact. As soon as soft lips molded against each other, that comforting buzz thrummed between them and all self conscious feelings evaporated.

After another few moments of gentle kissing, they finally pulled back.

"Happy birthday, Regina." Emma said before leaning back in for one more soft kiss.

"Thank you, dear."

They shared a warm smile before Emma finally turned and left. Regina sat back at her desk, the stress and irritation from her meetings completely forgotten.

* * *

Unfortunately for Regina, due to her morning meetings and, though pleasant, the unexpected lunch delay, she was very behind in her daily work. She had hoped to get done in time to go watch Luca's practice, as it was something she greatly enjoyed, but not only did she not have time to see him, she was unable to even pick him up.

Luckily, Regina just barely voiced the question to Granny before the older woman was accepting and on her way to pick up the young boy. Regina was relieved by that, but still frustrated to be stuck at work longer.

By the time she was getting home, it was after six and Regina was exhausted. She wasn't really in the mood to cook, but then didn't want a magically conjured meal either. It just didn't taste the same. She figured though, that if Luca helped her, at least they would have fun and she would forget her exhaustion.

When she walked in the door of her home, she expected to be greeted. She expected the running feet of her barefoot son coming to give her an excited hug. She expected to hear anything at all. Yet when she stepped through the foyer, the house seemed completely dead.

She called out for Luca and when she got no reply, she called out for Granny. Still getting nothing, she started exploring the house. She figured she'd run upstairs to see if they were playing in Luca's room, but still found nothing. She moved faster as she walked back down the steps and towards the kitchen. It was then, as she glanced out the window, that she knew someone was outside. She realized she should have expected that, but then usually Granny was good about making him finish him homework first.

Relieved, she made her way to the door and stepped outside.

"There she is."

Regina heard from the side before-

"Surprise!"

Regina flinched as the sound came out around her. She looked around to see Granny, Katherine, Fredrick, Emma, Henry and a very excited Luca all standing on the back porch. She just stared for another moment before Granny jabbed her in the side.

"Look alive, Your Majesty."

"I'm sorry I…I don't know what to say." She admitted. Katherine smiled comfortingly as she approached.

"Happy birthday, Regina." She leaned in and Regina accepted her hug gratefully.

"Thank you."

Fredrick greeted her as well before stepping of to the side where Granny was serving food. Regina could hardly keep the confusion from her features and Emma noticed as she approached.

"You okay?" She asked with a smile.

"I'm…surprised." She said as she looked around again.

"Yeah I bet. Well when Luca found out you were having a birthday, he was pretty adamant we celebrate it. So was I." She added quietly. "He and Granny organized it." She finished and Regina found herself smiling as she looked over at Luca.

"Happy birthday."

Regina's attention was diverted as Henry walked up to her. She was more than surprised as he leaned in for a quick hug, but she accepted it happily.

"Thank you, Henry." She realized then that she really did miss the hugs she used to receive from him. They were so few and far between now, but she was grateful. He turned and moved to Granny's food line at the plastic table set out on the side of the deck, and Regina turned back to Emma.

"Well that was unexpected."

"Yeah, he's been acting weird…well weird_er _since he told me about your birthday. I think he feels a little bad."

"Well, regardless, it's nice to see him again…here." She said and then stepped slightly closer to Emma. "And you. But you should start being more careful, Sheriff. Two visits in one day…people will start to talk."

"And we can't have that, now can we, Madam Mayor?"

"No." Regina started immediately. "We can't." She looked pointedly over to Henry and Emma sighed.

"I know." She said quietly. "Alright well it's time for food."

"Isn't it always with you?" She joked, earning an eye roll.

"What_ever_." She added a teenage sounding snark to her tone before spinning and heading to the table.

Regina turned as well and when she looked over, caught Luca's gaze. He was biting his lip, looking expectantly at her. Regina lifted her hand and crooked her index finger to summon him over. When he made him way directly in front of her, she ran her hands from his shoulders to his hands and held them as she sat back on the bench, Luca taking the spot beside her.

"You, my son, are amazing."

"Really? You like it?" He perked up instantly.

"I love it."

"Were you surprised?"

"Sweetie, I didn't even remember it was my birthday until you made me breakfast this morning. I don't remember the last time I was so pleasantly surprised. I am so impressed you pulled this off without me knowing." She finished and Luca grinned smugly.

"Thanks."

The next hour went surprisingly well. After thanking her for all she had done, Regina sat and chatted casually with Granny. Katherine joined them at some point and they managed to hold steady conversations. Emma and Fredrick found some common ground on favorite sports teams that up until this point, Emma had not had a single person to converse on with. Henry kept mostly quiet next to Emma and Luca spent most of his time by Regina, though he had no qualms with moving around.

It was when Luca _subtly_ slipped out the soccer ball and nudged Fredrick to join, that things changed. The two of them ran out into the yard and played around for a few minutes as Emma joined the other women in their conversation and Henry walked inside to use the restroom.

Henry couldn't help himself, and when he was inside, he made his way up the stairs and checked on his room. He hadn't been in there in a long time and wasn't sure exactly what he expected. That Regina gave the room to Luca. Maybe for the room to be empty, the door closed and blocked out. But instead, the door was just hanging open like normal, everything in his room exactly as it had been the last time he had been there.

He looked through his books, glanced at toys he had forgotten he even had. He saw clothes he had grown out of since the last time he wore them only a matter of months ago. He was growing quickly and even clothes Emma had bought him were too small now. He did one last look around before stepping into the hall.

He almost turned to walk back down the steps, before curiosity got the best of him again. Instead, he walked back down the hall, past Regina's room. He figured if Regina's hadn't given his own room to Luca, then she must have used the guestroom for him. He was expecting that, but not what he actually saw in there.

The room hardly even looked like a bedroom. There was an actual bed, he realized, but his adoptive mother seemed to have changed everything else about it. It used to be a plain, white, boring room. Nothing individualized or unique about it. Now though, it seemed Regina had designed it to look more like the forest. The walls were green with realistic looking trees painted on them. When he touched them though, they were textured and he realized that magic was probably behind most of this.

He stepped back, not sure how he felt about all of this. He turned around and walked back down the steps and towards the back door. When he stepped onto the back porch, his eyes immediately snapped up when seeing Emma down in the yard playing with Luca and Fredrick.

They were all three laughing and running about. Glancing to the side, he saw the other three women were still talking, glancing periodically down at the other three. Just when he looked down and started walking back towards his chair, the soccer ball whizzed by and slammed into the window beside him breaking the glass.

Everyone froze except Regina, who stood up and stared at the broken glass. She turned slowly to face the yard where Luca and Emma stood side by side with eyes wide and jaws open. Simultaneously, they threw their arms out to the side and pointed directly at the other accusingly, though their eyes remained on Regina.

Henry's own eyes were wide as he waited to see what would happen. To say he was shocked would have been an understatement.

It was Granny who snorted first. The way Luca and Emma stood completely stunned amused her to no end. But that sound set off Katherine who let out a muffled chuckle as she held her hand against her mouth. Fredrick was next, laughing off to the side at both women sitting behind Regina. Luca and Emma were trying very hard not too. They each resorted to biting their lips to stifle any giggles that tried to surface.

Henry couldn't believe any of them and finally turned to see Regina's expression. Where he expected to see that teeth clenching, nostril flaring anger, he saw amusement. When he expected to hear immediate yelling, scolding and punishment, he heard a long sigh. Where he expected to see his adoptive mother, he saw someone he didn't even recognize.

Regina turned and waved her hand by the window, all the glass pieces lifting into the air and replacing themselves until they reassembled into their original form. With a snap, the ball appeared in her hand and she turned to face the guilty parties again.

"What is the rule about playing soccer out here?" She asked and Luca and Emma glanced at each other before facing forward again.

"Not to…aim at the house?" Luca answered and Regina nodded.

"That's right. And why don't we aim at the house?" She asked, still holding the ball in her palm.

"Because we could break a window." He knew that answer immediately and again, they heard Granny snort in amusement. "So sorry, Mother." He stepped forward slowly, a small smile pulling at his lips as his eyes flitted between hers and the ball. He tried reaching for it but Regina raised it higher.

"Last warning." She said seriously.

"Yes, Mum." He kept his face neutral until the ball was in his hands again and then he spun around and jumped back down. He walked up to Emma and gave her a pointed look.

"What? She likes you more than me." Emma whispered her defense and Luca shook his head in a move that startlingly mirrored his mother.

"Oh don't worry, Luca." Regina called over as she sat back down. "That was Emma's last warning as well." She raised an eyebrow at the pair and Luca laughed at the surprised look on Emma's face.

"Henry, you want to come play?" Emma glanced over at him and Henry stepped down to join them. "You can me on my team-"

"I don't want to play." He stopped her and Emma tilted her head. "I don't feel good, I want to go home." He said and Emma sighed.

"What is it?"

"I just don't feel well."

"Well I'm sure Regina has something to help."

"I want to go to bed. Please, can we go?"

"Fine, Henry." Emma started. "We'll go right home and you can go straight to bed…at eight o'clock. Go say goodbye to Regina." Emma turned back before Henry could respond. He watched as she walked over and knelt to talk to Luca before he turned and walked back up the porch.

Henry gave a brief goodbye to his adoptive mother and then waited impatiently as Emma made her rounds to everyone. When Emma followed Regina inside to help her carry a few dishes, he walked around the house to the front and got into the yellow bug. It took her another five minutes to appear at the front door, a smile on her face.

Emma drove quietly for for nearly the whole ride home before glancing over at Henry.

"Henry, I've been wondering if you'd be interested in talking to Archie again." She said carefully, but Henry snapped his head to the side.

"What? Why?" He said quickly.

"Whoa, relax kid. You don't have to. But you stopped talking to me and I just think you need to tell someone what's on your mind. I feel like you're bottling up your anger and if you won't let _me_ help…" She trailed off, hoping he would at least consider it.

"I don't need therapy. Besides, I talk to Grandpa."

"You do?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah. He understands."

"Understands what?" Emma pulled up outside the apartment and looked to Henry.

"About the fairy tale stuff. And our happy endings." He said but Emma was just shaking her head in confusion.

"Okay, I really need you to spell this out for me." She said Henry sighed.

"We're supposed to have our happy endings. You're supposed to have your true love and we're supposed to be a family. But then…my dad died. Grandpa understands that I need a family."

"Wait wait wait. You're spending all this time with your grandparents…so you can have your "happy ending" family?" She narrowed her eyes slightly, but Henry was un-phased.

"I just like being with them." He shrugged and went to get out of the car. Emma reached out and laid her hand on his arm.

"Henry, look, I know you're having a hard time. I know you're dad's death wasn't easy on you and I'm sorry about that. But you don't get to keep moving around and picking your family by hand because you unsatisfied with what you have."

"They are my family." He defended immediately.

"Yes. But, you pushed Regina away when she wasn't the mother you wanted, and now you're pushing me away for the same reason. I don't want that Henry, I love you." She watched him carefully as he sighed.

"I love you too. I just want us all to get the happy endings we're supposed to." He turned then and got out of the car. Emma just stared after him, staying in her car and contemplating her child's very skewed view of the world.


	6. Chapter 6

**In regards to a few messages about progression, specifically referencing SQ, I'm just going to say to take note of ****time jumps****. There is one at the beginning of ****this chapter****. Their relationship is evolving more behind the scenes, but I try to give looks into it every so often. **

* * *

**When the Roof Caved in and the Truth Came Out**

-5 Weeks Later-

Emma arched her back as she stretched her arms as far out as she could. She gave a long yawn, wishing she didn't have work to be done and could just lay back in bed and enjoy the warmth a bit longer. It was Sunday, Henry was out camping, yet again, with her father. She really shouldn't have to get up…but she did.

So instead of falling back asleep like she wanted, she stood and knelt down to lift her jeans, slipping one leg in at a time. She walked over to the chair in the corner and took her shirt, pulling it down over her head. Grabbing her boots, she sat back down on the bed and started working the laces, one shoe at a time. Just as she was finishing up, a soft hand brushed her hair away from one shoulder.

"Stay for breakfast?" Regina asked, her own voice thick from sleep.

"I can't, too much work I gotta go. Trust me, I'd much rather stay in bed with you." She turned and smiled, meeting Regina's lips briefly.

"Well grab a bagel or something from the kitchen on your way out."

"Will do." She smiled, finishing up with her boots and turning more fully to face her. "So have you decided?" She asked and Regina sighed, looking away for a second.

"I suppose…we can try. Though I make no promises I won't magic myself and Luca away if need be." She said seriously.

"Understood." She grinned. "I'm just excited Henry agreed to this too." She didn't mention how reluctant he had been.

"I'm really not sure how I'll like camping, but I guess I can try anything once."

"That's the attitude." Emma praised with a grin. Regina looked less than amused.

"At least I know Luca will love it."

"I hope Henry does too." Her tone changed a bit and Regina smiled sympathetically. "At the very least it'll get him away from my parents for a weekend." Again, she left out that she barely got him on the weekends ever, now that her parents were always so _willing_ to take him out.

"Lunch tomorrow?" Regina questioned.

"You're on." Emma leaned in for another soft kiss before finally getting up and leaving the room.

Regina fell back into her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She was tired and after an eventful night, she really could use the extra rest. But then she was distracted by thoughts of the upcoming weekend and sleep didn't return.

* * *

As predicted, Luca was more than excited. Regina had to keep giving him jobs to do to prepare to keep him busy until Emma and Henry arrived to pick them up. Regina had just dropped their bags by the door when she heard a car pull up.

"Luca, they're here." She called and he ran around the corner seconds later, ball in hand. "Sweetie, we're gonna be in the woods, you won't be needing that." She laughed.

"But we _might_ play." He said innocently, but Regina shook her head. Her resistance to his pouts was getting stronger.

"The ball stays here." She said with finality, pointing up stairs. "Put it away."

"Okay." He said reluctantly before running back up the steps. She shook her head again, but she was smiling as she turned and opened the door.

"Hey." Emma grinned as she stepped up into the house.

"Hello, Miss Swan. Henry, how are you?" She asked as Henry popped up next to his blonde mother.

"I'm good."

"Good. Well I believe we're just about ready."

"We'll help with the bags." Emma nudged Henry and the two of them leaned down to pick them up.

Five minutes later they were all set in the car, Emma driving, Regina in the passenger seat and the boys behind them. Regina suddenly was rethinking their plan. Emma had been adamant for awhile that they try something together and with Henry spending nearly every weekend out camping, Emma had thought this would be the best way to get her son actually happy about the bonding time.

Regina also knew Emma didn't want to keep their relationship a secret forever. If Regina was being completely honest, neither did she. She was happy in few stolen hours they spent together each week and dreamed of possibilities of living out of secrecy. But while she had learned to live without letting Henry's feelings of her dictate her life, she still wasn't ready for the fallout of that reveal.

Henry had made some progress recently. He spent a bit more time with Emma, and in the last few weeks, had had two separate meals with her, Regina and Luca without any altercation. That was what had finally convinced Regina to give in to Emma's desire for an outing. It was only one day and night, in a place Henry loved, so they figured they had a chance at a fun time. Now though, the car was so awkwardly silent and Regina didn't know what to say or do to fill it. She was surprised at who did.

"So have any of you even been camping?" Henry asked, breaking the long silence.

"Uh…well…sorta. Not really for fun before." Emma shrugged.

"I spent a few days in the woods with your grandmother once. Though also, not for fun." Regina managed to recall the time without dwelling on the extremely negative outcome.

"I lived on the island for a long time. Is that camping?" Luca looked at Henry and the older boy glanced his way.

"I guess…kind of."

With that, the car went back to silence until they reached the area where Henry liked to camp with his grandfather. It was close to the path leading to the well, but Emma had only been there once when David's car had broken down. This was her first time staying the night.

"Alright, Henry, what do we do?" Emma asked, wanting to let him lead to feel more comfortable.

"We should start setting up the tents in the camp area first, then the fire and then we make dinner." He said confidently.

"Sounds good." Emma smiled, relieved that so far, things were going smoothly.

They all helped retrieve the supplies from the car and laid them out as Henry instructed. Henry just fell into the leader roll and it seemed to change him. This was an area he had gotten to know quite well and so he instructed confidently. Without the small glares and immature pouts, he suddenly looked a bit more mature. Sounded more so. It was something that surprised both his mothers, but they went right along with it, very much excited to see that light shining in his eyes again.

After they had camp set up, Henry sent everyone to start retrieving wood while he began setting up the fire pit. Emma was the first one back and dropped her pile where Henry pointed.

"You're really good at all this kid." She said as Henry immediately started making the fire.

"Thanks."

"Are you having fun?" She started handing him the small logs.

"Yeah I guess." He said as he remained focused on the task at hand.

"You guess? I thought this was your favorite thing to do." She tilted her head as she studied him.

"It is." He said and Emma was trying not to get irritated.

"Well then can you act like it?" She asked and he met her eyes.

"What?"

"Henry, we all came out here because it's what _you_ like to do. It would be nice if it felt like you cared at all." She watched him work through his own emotions for a second. Catering to his feelings constantly was starting to be tiresome, but then she saw him sigh and straighten up.

"Okay. I'm sorry." He said and Emma blinked in surprise.

"Thank you." She smiled. "Okay, I'm gonna go grab some more wood." She turned away feeling relieved and jogged back into the woods.

* * *

"You got it?" Regina chucked as Luca wobbled again with the load in his arms.

"Oh yeah, I got this." He said confidently.

"Alright, we're almost back." She smiled and readjusted the sticks she was carrying herself. She was really not a fan of any of this, but if her sons enjoyed it, she could get through it.

"Mother?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think we could do this again sometime?" He looked over to her and she smiled.

"You're having fun?"

"Yes, I like it out here a lot. There's no scary people here, we can just have fun." He grinned and Regina felt relieved.

She had a few worries, but they had all been eased so far. She had worried about Henry's treatment and while he wasn't necessarily thrilled, he was being civil and no angry glares or remarks had been made. She had also wondered just how thrilled Luca would be to stay out in the forest. Neverland was not a pleasant place and though he loved being out in the trees and being able to run free, she had been concerned the area would remind him of the island and scare him. So far, he, as well as both the others, had only enjoyed himself.

Well, that was until the rain started rather unexpectedly an hour later.

* * *

"Okay Luca, that's enough, you're going to get a cold." Regina called out from her dry spot under the tent. While she did love watching him have so much fun running around in the rain, it was getting too cold and healing a sickness wasn't like healing an injury. She did better just with a broken bone than a head cold.

"But Mother-"

"No buts, except yours, right here, now." She gave him the more serious look, and he knew it was past time for bargaining. He jogged over and whipped his wet hair around a few times before stepping into the tent and taking the spot next to Regina, opposite Emma and Henry. "You're _freezing_." She ran her hands down his arms and he was shivering. It always amazed her that things like that wouldn't stop him, or even slow him down. He could endure anything without complaining and would just choose to have fun.

"Come here, sweetheart." She pulled him into her side and wrapped her arms around him. Luca fell easily into the embrace, snuggling in as she rubbed the warmth back into him.

"You're crazy, kid." Emma shook her head and Luca chuckled.

"I like the rain. It's fun."

"I like the sun." Regina mused.

"Well you picked a heck of a place to set up." Emma laughed. "Not a ton of sun here."

"Well I didn't exactly pick _this_ place. It just kind of happened. I wouldn't mind going somewhere a little brighter and warmer." She looked off for a moment.

"We should. We should go somewhere on an adventure." Luca perked up and Regina laughed.

"Well it's not that easy, darling."

"Yeah, since no one can leave." Henry added quietly. Luca glanced at Regina but Emma ended up stepping in.

"Actually, all of _us_ can." She added lightly. They fell into silence for a moment, Henry just looking down at his hands.

He had agreed to this at Emma's insistence. He was trying to be more open with her, but then just kept getting frustrated. She didn't seem bothered by any of this. She should be looking for her happy ending, but instead, was focusing all her energy on bringing him and Regina closer. He just wanted them to have their proper ending and couldn't see why it was of no importance Emma.

He didn't care for the idea of all them camping together. He did this with his grandfather. It was their special thing and wasn't thrilled about having Regina and Luca there. Luca didn't care about anything. He just wanted to run around and play. Henry wanted to be with his family.

"Alright well, it looks like it's over now." Regina broke the lengthening silence, reaching a hand out to confirm it wasn't raining any more. Emma stepped out and walked over to their fire again.

The storm had come out of nowhere. The weekend was supposed to be clear and relatively warm, but just after getting the fire up and going, storm clouds had rolled in and rain fell around them. They were all relieved Henry had had them set up the tents first.

"Guys, the fire's almost out now." She called over.

"We have to get more fire wood or it'll be too cold during the night." Henry said and Emma thought on it for a second.

"How about you two go round up some more?" She suggested casually, looking towards the boys. Regina looked up, but remained quiet.

"Okay." Luca shrugged.

"Um…okay, here, take your sweatshirt." Regina made sure he was dry before holding the sweatshirt for him to step into.

"Thank you." He smiled and started to walk back into the woods. Henry waited an extra second, but then followed, his hands stuffed into his pants pockets. Once they were out of sight, Regina turned to Emma.

"You sure that was a good idea?" She asked and Emma shrugged.

"I have to trust him. He's a good kid." She said confidently. "And we'll check on them in a few minutes." She added.

The boys walked for a bit in silence as they looked for a dryer area. Luca grabbed for a few sticks, but they still weren't good and they continued. He saw an area in the distance and started jogging closer. Henry was a little stuck in his own world as they walked and wasn't paying that much attention until it was almost too late.

"Stop!" He yelled and Luca halted, turning to face him.

"What?" He looked confused at Henry.

"That area's not safe. The mines go under here, and the ground isn't stable." He took a few steps towards Luca, but stayed at a small distance.

"Mines?"

"There's tunnels under the ground, but parts of it are really old and they haven't worked here. We're not supposed to be over here." He said and Luca glanced behind him again.

"But it's all dry here." He started and took a small, cautionary step.

"You're gonna get hurt." Henry crossed his arms, but Luca kept on.

"I just want to get a couple." He finished and Henry rolled his eyes.

He was quick and he _was_ being careful. Luca just took what was within reach, picking up as much as his arms would carry. It was when he stood back up and took a step, that they discovered the ground could no longer handle the weight.

Luca was stepping towards Henry when the ground gave way. He dropped the pile and grabbed for the edge, but he couldn't get a grip. Henry reacted without thinking and surged towards him. Luca reached out and Henry did manage to take his hand, but it was too late and they both fell through.

* * *

"Regina-"

"Emma, there is no way this will end well." Regina was quick to shoot down Emma's idea, though the blonde wasn't quick to give in.

"It's not going well _now_." She started and Regina sighed. "I mean, how much worse could it possibly get?" She said seriously.

"A lot worse, Emma. You need to trust me on this. You have never had your own child hate you. It's one thing for him to pull away, but if he feels betrayed by you…you don't want the fallout from that." She spoke honestly and Emma couldn't deny that. But again, she couldn't just give up.

"Regina, I _really _like you. I like spending time with you. I like being with you. Like a _lot_." She said seriously and Regina gave her a small smile.

"And I like being with you too, dear."

"Well…do you really want to like me in secret forever?" She plopped down next to Regina and the brunette took her hand.

"No, Emma, I don't." She looked into her eyes and Emma smiled. "But I truly believe that if Henry found out now, _long_ before he's ready, the repercussions would be detrimental for our relationship, your relationship with Henry, and any possible relationship I could have with him again. And I have to tell you, I'd much rather be together in secret, than not at all." In regards to the two of them, this was one of her more rare displays of honestly and tenderness and Emma did feel touched by it.

"Me too." She leaned forward and gave Regina a soft kiss. "How long do you think we have till they get back?" She grinned and leaned in again, attacking Regina's neck with her lips.

"Emma, stop." She tried, but accidentally let out an uncharacteristically immature giggle and quickly lost her ground.

* * *

When the dust settled and both boys laid side by side. Luca lifted his head, eyes taking in his new surroundings. Henry waved a hand in front of himself to clear the dirty air and did the same. Neither were actually hurt, but they were each a little stunned. Luca shook it off first, standing up and reaching his hand down to help Henry. Henry though, glared up at him, before lifting himself up off the ground.

"I told you! I told you it wasn't safe." He turned away from Luca and looked up towards the opening. He reached for part of the siding, but the wall just crumbled again, bits of rock and piles of dirt coming back down on him.

"I'm sorry." Luca said honestly, trying to wave the dust away with his own hands now.

"Why couldn't you listen? Now we're stuck down here until they find us." He turned his angry expression on Luca again and the younger child looked truly guilt stricken.

"I'm sorry, Henry." He repeated. "Can we follow the tunnels? Maybe we could climb out?" He suggested hopefully. Henry looked up one more time, trying to determine if there would be a safe way out that direction, before turning and starting his way down the mine.

Luca followed, choosing not to dwell on it any longer. He apologized and meant it. His mother taught him that that is what you do after making a mistake. Henry though, looked a little irritated still. After a moment of silence, he couldn't take it any longer.

"Does anything bother you?" He asked, seemingly out of nowhere and Luca looked over and tilted his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you always act so happy?" He said and Luca still looked confused.

"Because I am." He said simply, not understanding the odd questions and so he answered the only way he knew how.

"You _think_ you are." Henry muttered. Luca shook his head.

"What's the difference?" He watched Henry's face, trying to work out the heavy tension in the air.

"You're happy because you don't know any better. You don't know anything." He kept that tone and Luca felt just the slightest irritation rise in himself. He tempered it down though. He didn't generally get angry, and the one time he really had, it had gotten out of control.

"What don't I know?" He asked neutrally and Henry let out a small laugh.

"Never mind." He had a slightly patronizing tone and Luca regarded him for another moment before speaking.

"Are you talking about Mother?" His question was confirmed by a look from Henry.

"You don't know who she really is." He tried and again, Luca gathered himself. He stopped and thought through his response. He had an immediate retort, but wanted to be more mature about it.

"Who she really is, is our mother, though I am guessing you meant her being the Evil Queen." His words gave Henry pause again. He was definitely surprised, but didn't want to show it.

"So you're okay living with someone who killed? Who cursed everyone?" Henry asked, incredulously.

"Yes." Was all Luca said and Henry stared at him. Luca though, didn't feel the need to justify his feelings.

"Right, I forgot you were a Lost Boy." Henry looked forward again, paying attention for any ways out, searching for a familiar area.

"What does that mean?"

"The Lost Boys were bad. I guess it makes sense you think all that's okay." Henry shrugged.

"It's not that." Luca started. "I just know that just because you make bad choices, doesn't make you a bad person." He said, repeating words his mother had used on him when he was feeling bad about his past.

"Right." Henry said sarcastically. Luca felt his frustration rise again. Still, he didn't want to yell back. He was smart enough to know that fighting while trapped underground was not a smart idea.

"What's it like?" He asked casually, sounding only curious and Henry turned _his_ now confused expression on Luca.

"What's _what_ like?" He asked and Luca shrugged, casually.

"Being perfect." Luca said flatly. He looked forward as he continued through the mine. Henry's jaw fell open in astonishment and paused just for a second.

"I never said I was perfect." He retorted, catching up to Luca's side.

"You act like it."

"How?" Henry felt offended and hated how casual Luca sounded.

"I see how you look at me and Mum, and I hear what you whisper, Henry. You always judge everyone. You judge her because you think she's bad and I know you feel the same way about me." There was a hint of something else in his tome. If Henry let himself go there, he would have acknowledged the hurt in the sound.

"I am not judging. She was the Evil Queen and you were a Lost Boy. You both did bad things. You can't excuse that." He defended, almost petulantly.

"So you feel you're better than us because you have not done bad things before?" He asked, still in an innocent, curious tone, as if he truly wanted to understand.

"I _am_ a good person because I have not done bad things before." He corrected and Luca stopped suddenly to face him. Henry startled slightly, but met his gaze.

"You are a good person because that is all you have ever known. What if you didn't grow up with a mother? What if she had not taken you and you lived without love? What if your heart had been broken? You have never suffered. You don't know what it's like, Henry." Luca turned back again and continued walking. Henry just stared for a moment.

He had looked at Luca as such a child the whole time he had been there. He was only two years younger, but Luca always acted so carefree that Henry saw him as far too young to take seriously. Now though, the smaller boy had sounded beyond his years.

Henry shook himself and turned to follow. He didn't like the way Luca's words were sitting with him. He was good because…he just was. He had a good heart. But then…maybe he hadn't really had to deal with too much before the curse breaking. He really didn't like where his thoughts were going. He sighed as he caught up with Luca.

"I'm…I'm sorry." He said quietly and very reluctantly.

"It's okay, Henry." Luca responded honestly. Henry stayed quiet for the next few moments until they came to a fork in the tunnel.

"This way." He pointed and Luca started in that direction. Henry was relieved to see them moving through the section of the mines he recognized now. It made him feel safer as they made their way towards an exit. However, they had only made it a few meters before the rock began to break.

Luca's reaction was quick. He heard the crumbling and whipped his head to the side. When the beam above Henry's head creaked, he was instantly in motion. His lunged forward, his body crashing into Henry's. He was smaller, but adrenalin increased his force and he was able to knock Henry out of the way fast.

Eventually, the sound died down and Henry coughed a few times. Luca had hit him hard and knocked the wind out of him and as he sucked in air, the dust filling each breath caused harsh coughs. Again, he was slightly stunned from the impact. He planted his hands down on the ground and started lifting his body. Once he was up, he brushed some of the dirt covering his body and looked to the side at the wall that had just caved in.

"Henry." Luca's voice was strained and when the Henry turned, his eyes widened at the sight. While the fearful and pained expression was something to take notice of, that wasn't that that had Henry legitimately concerned for Luca for the first time ever. No, in this case, it was the sight of the small boy's leg completely pinned down underneath the large, fallen beam.


	7. Chapter 7

**NOTE****: Okay, so before you read this, I want you to know that these events, as well as those in the next chapters, are what I had planned from the beginning. This is the story I wanted to write and I've been anxious to get here. If you believe it too implausible, I will simply remind you of what's happening on the actual show. I imagine something similar will take place in one way or another soon enough. Read with an open mind please. ****  
**

* * *

**Return of The Forgotten**

Regina really did wish to continue. Emma's hands were strong and not very shy and Regina had to admit, she liked the blondes body against hers. Their lips had joined and the feeling was more than just pleasant for both of them. But now really was not the time. In fact, it was thinking about the time that finally got her pushing the younger woman back.

"Emma." She started and felt a hum against her collar bone as Emma moved on to another spot.

"Mmmm, what?"

"It's been too long. The boys should be back by now." She pushed on Emma's shoulders again and now, she responded.

"You're right." She admitted reluctantly. "Wonder what's taking them so long." She said curiously. She stood and dropped her hand down to help pull Regina up.

"I don't know, but I'm not waiting to find out." She stepped away from Emma, and towards the direction they had retreated. "Come on." Emma caught up with her and they made their way into the woods.

"Does the air feel…weird to you?"

* * *

Henry shook himself out of the stupor created from the fall and the sight of Luca. He stepped forward, closer to other boy.

"Are…are you okay?" He was just too thrown by the sight to care about anything else. In fact, for that second, all feelings he had about Luca were virtually nonexistent. Luca was still lying on the ground, but his arms were lifting his upper body and Henry moved even closer.

"Yes, can you help me?" He asked, his eyes still slightly fearful. The pain shot through him and he repressed a hiss. "Just try to lift that so I can get out."

"Okay." Henry moved back over to where the beam was and grabbed it with both hands. It was heavy and the first tug didn't show successful results.

"Ah!" Luca cried out involuntarily when the beam moved.

Henry looked over apologetically. Regardless of anything between them, he didn't like causing pain. Luca's expression, no matter how hard he was trying to control it, said this was more than just very unpleasant for him. Henry took a deep breath before giving it another go. On the next pull, Luca winced, but focused and slid forward as the weight finally lifted from his leg.

"Is it broken?" Henry asked, looking wearily as Luca grabbed for his leg. He felt a bit nauseated at the purpling deformity he saw below Luca's knee.

"I think so." Luca's lip wobbled slightly, but he didn't want to show his pain.

He spent many years of his life playing tough. In Neverland, you got no sympathy. Crying was weakness and only got you hurt further. While he had learned to be more of a child with his mother and let himself be comforted by her, being in this situation with Henry in the middle of the woods, brought him right back to those years and old habits died hard. So with that occupying his mind, he started moving again.

"You should stay still."

"We have to move. We have to get out of here before it caves in again." He started trying to use the wall to help himself up, but Henry shook himself and reached out for him. He crouched down and pulled Luca's arm across his shoulders to take on more of his weight. "I should have listened to you. I guess it's really not safe." Luca said, but Henry shook his head.

"No…it's never been this bad. This is part of the mine they work in, it shouldn't be caving in like this. Something's not right." He said wearily, eyes shifting towards the unstable walls.

"Are we going to get out?" Luca looked to Henry in concern.

"Yeah…yeah we will. It's not far." He said as they started moving forward. It wasn't a fast pace and Luca was wincing nearly every step, but they kept on. "Um…thanks…by the way." He said awkwardly. Luca glanced over at him again.

"You're welcome. We're even now." He said lightly and Henry nodded. They made it a few more seconds before Luca's foot accidentally touched the ground and pain shot up through his leg, the responding gasp alerting Henry.

"So…uh…how long were you in Neverland?" Henry asked, trying to think of a distraction. Luca's expression grew further pained, but he opened his eyes and focused.

"I don't know. A long time."

"Do you remember where you lived before that?" He kept on, realizing they might be in there for quite some time.

"Only a little bit, but I don't want to remember any more." A small shiver escaped him at the flash of memory he had recalled. Flames and screams entered his mind but he shut it down fast.

"Oh…okay." Henry didn't miss the tone in his voice and didn't push that further. "Did you have any friends in Neverland?" He tried and Luca gave him a look that matched both one of his own, and that of their mother. It was startling.

"I wouldn't really call them friends, Henry. But some of us that were younger played together when the older boys were out doing Pan's work. They weren't all bad." He would have shrugged if his muscles weren't so tensed up.

"Oh." He really didn't appreciate all the feelings and thoughts filling him since their time down here.

They continued on for the next few moments in silence. They had slowed even further and Luca was feeling slightly lightheaded. He almost thought he imagined the voice when it sounded above their heads, though that didn't slow the flood of relief that surged through him.

"Is that-"

"Yeah." Henry finished and then responded to the voice without thinking. "Mom?!"

"Henry?!" Was the immediate reply. "Where are you?!"

"Down here!" He yelled as loudly as he could. It took only seconds before purple smoke filled the air around them and Regina appeared in front of them. Her eyes were already wide.

"What happened?!" She lunged forward and knelt down, her hands on both boys, trying to asses the situation as fast as possible. "Are you okay?"

She didn't really need to ask that. She saw Henry holding Luca up and her eyes traveled over her younger son. When her gaze landed on the dark deformity, her hands automatically started reaching out.

"Oh, sweetheart. I've got you." She managed to lift him up as she leaned back, sitting onto the dirt ground. Magic elevated his leg as she placed him in her lap. Henry released his own hold on Luca and stepped back. "Alright, hold still for me, okay? This may hurt a bit." She said honestly and he just nodded, the pain stopping his voice.

Henry watched as the hand not wrapped around Luca, moved to his leg. Thin wisps of magic started transferring from Regina to Luca. His hands balled into tight fists and his face turned into Regina's shoulder as bone fragments snapped painfully back into place. It only took a few seconds all together and once the pain subsided, Luca pulled his face away to see the limb back to it's original shape and color.

"There. All better." Regina said gently as she looked back to his face that was slowly relaxing now. Luca took a deep breath and reached a hand to touch it, confirming it healed.

"Whoa." He said and she smiled.

"Okay now?"

"Yes. Thank you, Mother." He leaned into her again and wrapped his arms around her neck. She hugged him back gratefully, relieved to see them safe for the moment. When they pulled back, Regina helped him stand again and stood herself.

"Are you hurt?" She looked at Henry and though he looked fine, she wanted to be sure.

"No."

"Okay boys, what happened?" She asked and Luca glanced at Henry before looking at her again.

"I was trying to get some fire wood. Henry said it wasn't safe but I stayed, and then I fell and Henry tried to help but we both fell down." He finished and Regina immediately looked to Henry, a small smile on her face.

"Are you _sure _you're okay?" She asked again.

"Yeah." Henry nodded, a little more relaxed.

"So that's how you hurt yourself?" She looked back to Luca.

"No, part of the wall caved in on us." Luca pointed back behind himself.

"It just happened out of nowhere, I think…I think something's wrong." Henry said hesitantly. He expected a dismissal, but Regina's own features were a little concerned as well.

"I think you're right." She started. "That storm came out of nowhere and the air feels…magical. Something's happening." She took Luca's hand. "Can I take you up?" She looked at Henry, knowing he may have an objection. His face though, said his concern over what was happening was greater than his weariness of her.

"Yeah." He said and though Regina looked surprised, she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. One big swirl of purple smoke clouded their vision and the next thing they saw, was the forest surrounding them. "Where's my mom?" Henry asked immediately.

"She's looking for you two. We split up, I think she went back towards the well." Just as she finished, Henry started walking. Regina just kept Luca's hand and followed after. Something didn't feel right and after what just happened to them, she understood Henry wanting to see Emma and chose not to be bothered by the lack of thanks.

"It feels weird." Luca said and they looked up towards the sky. It still looked dark an stormy despite the opposite weather report and she had to agree with her son's deduction. It definitely felt off.

"It'll be alright, sweetheart." She pulled him closer and looked up just in time to see Emma running towards them.

"Henry!" She ran up to him and pulled him into a hug. She went through the normal questions of if he was okay or not, and Henry briefed her on what happened in the mine. After confirming everyone was safe, she stood up and looked wearily at Regina.

"What is it?" Regina asked her.

"The well…there's magic. A lot of magic." She started, looking both confused and concerned.

"Gold?"

"I didn't see him." She said and Regina considered that for a moment.

"Well whatever it is, if it's magic, it could explain parts of the mine collapsing." She paused and looked around. "Okay, you three stay here, I'll go-"

"No." Luca tugged on her hand. "I want to stay with you." He insisted but Regina held him back by the shoulders.

"It's okay, I'll be right back. You stay with Emma, understand me?" She said but he looked down. "Luca, answer me." She said gently. She wouldn't put it past him to follow after her, knowing his curiosity and concern knew no bounds. But she also knew that if he promised not to, he would have a much harder time disobeying her.

"I understand." He mumbled. Emma came up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Good boy." Regina gave his arm a small squeeze, before very subtly grazing over Emma's hand. Emma gave her a small nod.

Regina made her way quickly out towards the well. She felt increasingly uneasy with the feel of magic. It was strong. Definitely not someone performing a simple spell. The closer she got towards the clearing in the forest, the thicker the magic and stronger the feeling. The wind picked up and she saw leaves circling wildly on the ground.

She knew Luca was worried about being separated and her walking into what could be a dangerous situation. In the end, she wished she had just walked into a dangerous situation. She could defend herself from a threat. She could fight off virtually any attacker. She had no fear when the danger was solely about her. She would have preferred a one on one fight with the Dark One to this.

As the portal died down and a body climbed out, Regina was momentarily stunned.

"Regina?" He seemed to recover from the ordeal quickly and jumped down before stepping closer. His eyes were narrowed and weary.

"Neal." Regina breathed, unable to quite believe her eyes.

"Where are they?" His voice was strong and slightly threatening. Regina didn't step back, but she wasn't feeling overly confident either.

"You're dead." She said disbelievingly.

"Not so much. Just a little slip through a portal. Now where's my family?" He demanded. Regina tried to shake out of it, but was still adjusting. "Tell me!"

"Calm down." She bit back now, a natural reaction to being threatened. "They're here."

"Where?" He still sounded threatening and Regina was trying to resist falling back into her previous persona. Instead of answering, she just started walking. Neal's eyes narrowed, but aside from wandering into town, he had no other way of finding them. Going against what was probably the smart decision, he followed.

Regina really felt like she needed a minute to process this. Although her time with Henry was still strained, she had finally fell into a normal life. They were painfully slowly rebuilding. At least things were calm, but now here was Neal, a giant disruption in her finally peaceful life.

She knew the moment she stepped into the camp site, that everything would change. Luca and Emma were faced away, but Henry was up walking around and was the first to spot them. Despite all the progress she made, it was still painful to see a look aimed at that man, that Henry hadn't given to her in years.

"Dad?!" He was sprinting in an instant. When Emma turned, Regina caught her confused eyes for only a second before her gaze shifted to the man next to her and her expression turned stunned.

She watched it almost in slow motion. In reality, it should be a beautiful and emotional moment. Henry was in Neal's arms instantly. Emma made eye contact again, but only briefly, as she moved hazily towards them. Regina watched as Neal reached out and pulled her into his arms. She watched Emma fall into the embrace. She watched them all as if it was a dream.

"Who's that, Mother?" Luca was at her side and she blinked a few times to try and focus on him.

"He's…he's Henry's father." She shook herself again. Luca's head was tilted as he studied Neal for an extra second. Regina had the unfortunate timing of glancing back at the second Neal's lips touch Emma's. She spun back around in an instant, an unpleasant feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Come now, sweetheart." She had Luca's hand and started walking almost without thinking.

"What are we doing?" He asked, trying to keep up with her pace.

"We're leaving." The foreign sound in her voice rose Luca's concern, but also kept him from asking questions. He could tell that now, was probably not the best time.

Regina was acting on autopilot. She grabbed her bag from the ground and turned to move back towards the car. Only then, seeing the sight of the yellow bug, did it occur to her how they got here.

"We're going to have to use magic." She said and Luca smiled lightly. He was never against using magic. She threw her bag over her shoulder and pulled him closer.

"Regina!" Emma came running and but Regina's eyes remained forward. "Regina?"

"Miss Swan, I imagine you are wanted over there right now." That particular use of her name, told Emma everything she needed to know.

"I don't…I don't know what's happening."

"Go back to your family, Emma." She tried to turn around but Emma reached for her arm.

"Regina, I-"

"Emma?" Neal approached, his arm around a beaming Henry, and Regina took a deep breath. She had Luca in front of her, hands on his shoulders. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine." Emma gave him a smile, but tried to face Regina again.

"What's going on?" He stepped closer, his eyes taking in the scene around him curiously.

"It's nothing, Neal. It's a long story-"

"Wait." He stepped closer, his gaze narrowing on Luca.

Regina couldn't help the involuntary tightening of her grip around him. This whole situation was just a bit too overwhelming and after watching that man's hands on both Emma and Henry, seeing him even looking at Luca angered her.

Luca was confused, but he didn't fight the hold. He had an odd feeling about everything and preferred staying closer to Regina. When the new man moved closer again, he backed himself further into her.

"Mother?" He looked straight up at Regina, though she was glaring at Neal who was staring much too intently at her son. He might be Henry's father, but he had absolutely no right whatsoever to be near Luca without her permission.

"We're leaving." She said firmer this time, but saw Neal's eyes widen as he continued watching Luca. Just as she was about to transport them, his voice halted them.

"Michael?"

* * *

**I demand you not hate me for this! ;) **

**Also, I ask you not leave hurtful reviews…telling me you don't like it, or it was a bad choice…etc, is ****not**** constructive. I understand full well there are plenty of people who will not appreciate the direction of the story. People will hate Neal. I would be willing to bet there are few who hate Neal as a character more than me. However, as I said in the first note, this is what I wanted to write. I started with this idea going forward, and then worked backwards to form the story. I hope there are still people willing to see where it goes. **

**Also, there were 2 people a while back who called it on who Luca was. Kudos to you! I'm sorry I forgot who you were, but feel free to claim it in a review :)****  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**I want to thank you all for the reviews after the last chapter. I really appreciate you all sticking with me and i hope you can hang on through the journey :)**

* * *

**And Straight On Till Morning**

"Michael?" Neal was shaking his head, disbelieving of the sight in front of him. Regina pulled Luca back a few steps, but his body was a bit less responsive now. She looked down to see his face.

"Luca?" She squeezed his shoulder, growing instantly worried as she watched color drain out of his face.

"Michael…" Luca repeated in a whisper, his gaze aimed forward, eyes unfocused. Images started flashing in his mind. His body swayed slightly as the memories suddenly turned into an overwhelming onslaught.

"Luca?" Regina turned more to see him, just in time for his eyes to roll back and her to be ready for his body to fall into her. "Luca?!"

Regina moved to her knees and held her unconscious son in her arms. Her eyes were wide, her hand moving to Luca's face. She tilted his chin up and then brushed the bangs from his eyes. Emma stepped closer, her own expression concerned.

"How do you have him?" Neal stepped forward and Regina's head snapped up.

"_Back up_." She hissed, and the tone did make him pause. Emma lifted a hand towards him and shook her head in warning.

"Why does she have him?" He asked her quietly.

"She rescued him from Neverland and adopted him." She started and he immediately shook his head in confusion. "It's a long story. You knew him from there?" She asked him as she stepped back again, giving Regina some place.

"No, that's why I'm confused. He should have been safe. He wasn't supposed to be taken." He said and looked back to the boy in Regina's lap. "I want to see him."

"No." Emma looked straight into his eyes. She knew Regina. She knew just how protective she could be and had little doubt that if Neal were to lay a hand on Luca, regardless of the reason, he wouldn't be getting it back.

"But-"

"Not now." Again she was more than serious and she ignored his confused, verging on hurt expression and turned back to Regina. "Is he okay?" She knelt down cautiously and Regina glanced at her.

"He just passed out. I'm taking him home." She curled him into her arms, his head falling against her chest.

"Regina, I'll…I'll check on you guys later, okay?" Emma stood awkwardly, her complexion a little paler than normal, her posture fidgeting slightly.

"Very well." Regina gave her a brief nod, but spared nothing more as Luca became her only priority. The only thing she could sanely focus on.

When they reappeared in the mansion, Regina had Luca laying in his bed. She adjusted the pillows, fixed his blanket around him, brushed back his bangs. He was breathing steadily and seemed calm, but Regina couldn't relax.

What little she knew of his history had been nothing short of awful. The little bits he recalled had given him nightmares and brought the child to tears. She would much rather know nothing more, than learn about him at the expense of his emotional well being.

She didn't know if she should wake him or let him sleep. She didn't want him traumatized by nightmares or brought back to face his memories awake. While she was gently brushing her thumb against his cheek, the choice was made for her and Luca's eyes started fluttering open.

"Hey, sweetie. It's okay. You're okay." She laid a hand on his forehead, the other one across his chest. Luca looked up at her, trying to concentrate for a moment.

"Mum?" He said quietly, his eyes flitting around.

"It's okay, we're in your room." She kept gentle hands on him, wanting to sooth him before he became fearful. Unfortunately, it didn't take long.

"Mum!" He lunged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her neck. The previous events of the day dissipated as her maternal instincts took over. Regina wrapped one arm around her, her other hand coming to the back of his head.

"Shh, baby it's okay." She rocked him, but he started shaking.

"No no no no-"

"Luca, sweetie-"

"No, I remember. I remember, Mum." His voice was frantic and Regina continued to hold him tight.

"Okay, okay, you're safe here, honey, you can tell me." She didn't want him recalling these memories, but at this point, there would be no other way to deal with them, but to face them.

"I- I'm…I'm M-Michael." He hiccupped as his emotions controlled his voice.

"Your name is Michael?" She asked calmly.

"Y-yeah. D-Darling." He coughed out and Regina really started putting it all together.

"Michael Darling." She whispered.

* * *

"Michael Darling? As in Wendy Darling?" Henry kept right next to Neal as they walked, hanging on every word.

"Yeah, except that's not exactly how I remember him. He's older now but…I don't know. I mean does she even feed him?" He asked with a shake of the head.

"Well he spent a really long time in Neverland, and he's really active now." Emma jumped in automatically, still a little too thrown by all this.

"Right. How the hell little Michael Darling ended up in the hands of the Evil Queen is a story I've got to hear." He shook his head and Emma sighed. "I mean shouldn't we do something? I knew that kid."

"Neal just…just let it go, okay? He was a starving kid, alone on that dangerous island when she got to him. He asked to be with her." She was feeling so oddly torn right now, it was nearly making her sick. Neal gave her that look again and she sighed. "He loves her and she takes good care of him." She finished that with a sound of finality and Neal seemed to be willing to drop it for the moment. Emma was relieved for a minute to think.

This was Neal. The man she did love, whom she thought was dead, now standing miraculously in front of her. She could cry with the relief at knowing he was ok. Henry was over the moon and Emma knew she should be too. But months had gone by and things had changed. She didn't feel like the same person.

She wanted to check on Regina and Luca. She needed to know how they were. If Luca was okay…If Regina was. They might not have any kind of traditional relationship, but they had something. She cared about the woman and knew no matter how Regina truly felt about her, the scene they had created at the campsite couldn't have been pleasant for her.

"Hey." Neal gave Emma a nudge, trying to pull her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?" He asked gently. Emma put on a smile.

"Yeah, sorry. It's just been a really crazy day." She said and he laughed.

"Yeah, I bet." They continued walking and Emma looked back down at the ground. "Hey, are _we_ okay?" He looked just the tad bit concerned by her resistant behavior.

"Of course. Again, it's been a crazy day." She tried to focus on the moment, but was having an increasingly difficult time with that.

"It's really good to see you again. Both of you." He gave her a small, more comfortable and loving smile. Emma felt torn further.

"Its really good to see you too. I'm really glad you're okay." She said honestly, feeling herself getting pulled in.

"So what happened when you went through the portal?!" Henry was tugging on Neal's hand, pulling back attention and Emma found herself grateful.

"Well, first I met Mulan."

* * *

"It came back. It kept coming back." Luca mumbled, his head laying on Regina's shoulder.

"After Baelfire?" She asked, quietly. She had them laying back against the headboard now, Luca curling into her for comfort, her arms securely around him.

"Yeah. It grabbed my brother. My sister had lit candles to scare it away. I did it too...i was trying to help, but then I…I-"

"I know, shh, it's okay."

"Then I went to the place with the other kids when I was…um six I think. I can't remember much before that. I can't remember them hardly." He said sadly and Regina continued brushing her hand up and down his arm.

"You were very young, sweetheart. And that was a very _very_ long time ago. It's okay if it's hard to remember."

"But I didn't even know my name." He pulled back slightly to see her face. Though his expression was distraught, hers was only sympathetic.

"It is okay, honey. I promise you, everything is going to be okay."

"But…I don't know who I am now." He said sadly and Regina's heart broke. She lifted a hand to his cheek and made sure he was looking into her eyes.

"You are Michael Darling…_and_…you are Luca Mills. You are my son. And I love you." She looked at him seriously, hoping he could feel that love and care she had for him and that it would comfort him through this.

"I love you too." He said quietly and fell back into her again. An easy sleep didn't come to either of them, but eventually, the exhausting day caught up with them and they fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

It was a long week until they met up again. Regina took Luca to and from school and practice and did her work in the office, but otherwise stayed home with her younger son. She could assume things were going well with the town's newcomer, as his return was talk not even she could ignore, despite her reclusive behavior.

She wanted to have no interest in it whatsoever. Have no interest in Neal Cassidy. Unfortunately, seeing how he was directly tied to several people she cared about, she couldn't help it.

She didn't call Emma. She didn't seek her out. She didn't wait at Granny's for her to join them for breakfast, or stop in at the usual time for lunch. She knew that as much as she needed time to process this, Emma probably needed it more.

Besides, Regina had to deal with herself before she could deal with Emma. She had to confort her own feelings before she confronted Emma's. She had to know what she wanted, before finding out what Emma wanted.

After a week, she returned Emma's call. After a whole week, she finally saw her again. After a week, she went from being holed up in the mansion, to the ally next to Emma's apartment. It took that whole week, to prepare what she wanted to say.

As she stood there, alone in the dark, so coached herself. She had survived Henry's rejection and she could survive Emma's as well. But then just like with Henry, Regina didn't plan on simply laying down and accepting defeat. She had to make one real attempt. One attempt and if Emma did not want her love, as with Henry, Regina would walk away. She wouldn't force herself on anyone. But she _would_ try.

"Regina?" Emma appeared behind her and Regina smiled lightly.

"Emma…"

* * *

Emma had had a crazy week. She hadn't seen Henry act this way since they first broke the curse. She hadn't heard such excited and hopeful words from him in a long time. She missed it, if she was being honest. She couldn't help that feeling. Henry was her son and she missed these displays of love. She missed that smile. His laugh. His hugs.

Neal climbed out of the well and back into their lives and all that came right back like a tidal wave. Henry acted as though his happy ending had just been delivered to him on a silver platter and he took from it greedily. He was already talking about new homes, expanding their family, possibly going back to the Enchanted Forest. Emma was barley holding on from the dramatic turn of events.

Neal came back, not only like he had never left, but as if the last eleven years hadn't even happened. He acted like a father and a husband and that was another thing making Emma's head spin. It was all just a little too perfect.

She was trying to go with the flow, but she couldn't help thinking about Regina. She called her several times, but got no answer. She stopped by her office, but was always turned away. She tried to meet at Granny's, but was unsuccessful every time. It took an entire week before Regina finally called her back.

Neal and Henry were passed out on the couch. Henry insisted on them all spending as much time together as possible. Neal played the part of a father well and managed to exhaust the kid everyday. Emma was a bit overwhelmed, but had managed to hang on for the ride.

Emma crept across the wood floor and grabbed her jacket quietly. She glanced over her shoulder, ensuring the other two still asleep before opening the complex lock August had placed on the door. She slipped out silently and closed the door behind her before making her way quickly down the steps. She turned the corner and smiled as she saw a dark silhouette.

"Regina?"

"Emma." Regina turned to face her. It was late and dark but she smiled lightly asEmmae approached. Emma leaned forward, a bit awkwardly, and kissed Regina's cheek.

"Um…how's Luca?" She asked, trying to think of a way to start this.

"Better now, after a small identity crisis." She said lightly.

"I bet. Is he…still Luca?" She asked hesitantly, but Regina answered her.

"Yes. He's adjusting, but he's put a lot of work into coming to terms with himself for awhile now. This definitely added another layer, but he's still the same child. He'll be okay." She reassured and Emma nodded.

"Good. And you? How are you?" She asked and Regina regarded her for a moment before answering.

"I'm fine, Emma. But I have definitely been wondering about you."

"Fine? You have been avoiding me since the camping trip." She deflected.

"I…I wanted you to have time to think about what you wanted." She tried to sound casual, though she was uncomfortable with having feelings like this.

"About what I wanted?" Emma spoke slowly. Regina sighed.

"Emma, we have spent the last few months together and now, your lost love has returned. You have a decision to make." She stood tall and Emma blinked a few times.

"What- I…what do you mean?"

"Me or Neal, Emma." She said directly. It had taken her a week to be able to have this conversation, and she knew it would have taken _much_ longer to be able to do so without that same uncomfortable feeling in her belly she had since this all occurred.

"Regina I…it's not that easy. Henry-"

"Wants you and his father to create a picture perfect happy ending together. Yes, I put that together myself. It is extremely rare though, that I simply walk away from what I want. I have done it before but it is never easy." She said and Emma took a step back and a deep breath.

She wasn't prepared for this. She had spent her week thinking about Regina and Neal, but not choosing one over the other. She had never once in her life even had an opportunity for a decision like this. She wanted to hide from it now. She wanted to run.

The reality of her predicament suddenly weighed on her. There was no way safe out of this. No escape. Someone would get hurt no matter what. She would be hurt no matter what. In not so many words, Regina had just told her what she wanted, and that was Emma. Regina wanted her. But Neal, he did too and she had to consider Henry. What his thoughts would be, were not a mystery.

"Regina, I don't know what to do." She said honestly. She was standing in an ally in the dark with Regina, only a few floors from her son and his father. She was even more overwhelmed in this moment than she had been the day the portal opened.

"Do you need to hear me say it?" Regina stepped closer again, significantly lessening the distance. She had gotten herself here and she couldn't give up now. She told herself she would try this once. She begged no one for anything, but she also didn't let what she had slip through her fingers without putting up a fight. This was the one and only battle she would step into. This minute.

"Maybe…I don't know." Emma shook her head. Regina closed the distance when she placed her hands on Emma's waist and pulled her in. One shot she would take, and here it was.

"I want you to leave Neal and be with me. We have grown together and I believe we have something worth pursuing. I want you Emma. I want you to choose me." She finished and Emma was amazed.

She was not used to Regina speaking this way. They had such little time together without a child nearby, that when they had been alone, they didn't waste a lot of time with words. Once they had become physical, that had taken much of their private time. Now though, reality was forcing them to confront their feelings and Regina had taken that leap first.

"Regina…" Emma breathed and Regina chose to close the deal. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Emma's. Gently, not forced. She gave her a kiss that was just like their first, only months earlier, late one night, after a few glasses of cider. Just a sweet, soft kiss. One that said more than words could.

When they broke apart, Regina saw a look in Emma's eyes. One that, for that second, made her think that things would be going her way. That the relationship that had started after a nearly fatal fight between them on a centuries old boat to a treacherous island, had grown into something strong enough to withstand such a whirlwind of events. That possibly, a former Evil Queen could find a normal life in the most abnormal situation. It was just something in Emma's eyes that gave her the brief second of hope.

In Emma's defense, had Henry not followed her out of the apartment and witnessed an interaction was in no way prepared for, the blonde may have continued with that look. Had the horrified voice of their eleven year old not breached the calming silence, Emma may have returned her words. Had the shocked, furious, and hateful look not turned her way, she may have still had that piece of hope.

"Henry?!" Emma moved towards him but Henry side stepped her and looked to the woman who had loved him his whole life.

"Why would you do this?! You're ruining everything! You said you're not the Evil Queen anymore but the second we get our happy ending, you try to take it away! You _are _Evil!" Henry was nearly hysterical, the scene and kiss he had witnessed disturbing, confusing and enraging him all at once.

Emma was trying to talk to him. Trying to think on her feet for an explanation. Her words and Henry's yells though, were just blending and creating a white noise for Regina. She wasn't even trying to distinguish the sounds apart anymore. She started walking in a haze.

"Regina? Regina, I'm…I'm sorry…" Emma called after before turning back to her son. Regina just kept moving, trying to tune out the finality in those words.

On one hand, it was pretty bizarre that she would have even come here tonight. That she would have let something she could hardly even call a relationship, progress to a point that she would be willing to make herself vulnerable. She had thought, she was going after what she wanted. Going after another chance at happiness.

She had no guilt for loving Luca and not pursing Henry, because she had finally realized, that she is allowed to be happy. She is allowed to go after opportunities at happiness. She had felt like coming here finally, and telling Emma the truth, that she was doing the same thing.

Now though, as the events of the last moments sunk in, Regina just felt exposed. She felt rejected. She felt alone. She felt foolish. She hated this. She hated all of it.

When she got home, she hardly comprehended Granny's words. She barely managed a thank you to the woman for coming over before retreating for her first glass of cider. The alcohol for the first time, actually clearing her mind.

* * *

The fight was unlike any Emma had experienced before. Regina was right. When your child feels betrayed by you, nothing is held back. Henry had never aimed such hostile words at her before. He used everything in the arsenal. His adoption was a cheap shot, but he was an angry child and had no qualms against using it to hurt her. He also pulled out previous and current lies, her time spent with Luca and not him, her continued reluctance to be who she was "supposed" to be.

They stayed in the ally for over an hour. Emma didn't want him yelling in the apartment and bringing Neal and her parents into the fold. Unfortunately, that didn't take long.

The next day, he told his father and grandparents. That urge Emma had to run increased ten fold. She now had to deal, not only with Henry, but her parent's confusion and questions and "disappointment" as well as Neal's hurt and even deeper confusion.

She was so torn emotionally that she had spent an hour hiding in the bathroom and nearly heaving from the turmoil. She didn't care how childish it was. She locked the door and put her face in her hands. She blocked out their voices and tried to discern her own.

When her emotions finally boiled over, she just barely had the forethought to send Henry to his room. While more and more anger was being felt towards him, she knew she was an adult and couldn't direct it at her child. The other grown ups though, had it coming.

"But _how_-"

"It just happened." Was her response for about the tenth time.

"You…and my stepmother." Mary Margaret shook her head…_again_.

"Oh, don't be gross." Emma gave her mother a disbelieving look.

"Emma, you have absolutely no idea what you're doing. I can't imagine what you're thinking-"

"Enough!" She cut off her father who was speaking as a broken record, using the same lines time after time. "I will _not_ be lectured by you two. I don't want to hear about my problems with Henry when you two know you've been scooting right into my place."

"Emma, we didn't want to take over. Only help-"

"No!" Emma lifted a hand. "I care about my family, and I'm not trying to hurt anyone. I care about Regina and-"

"What about us?" Neal stepped in again, using the same hurt and confused tone.

"Neal-"

"Emma, I love you. I thought you loved me too." He carefully lifted her hand and she allowed it.

"I do. You know I do." She was being honest, but was overwhelmed. She took a deep breath. "It's just more complicated than that." She insisted, this very long and drawn out fight draining all her energy.

"Is it?" He took her other hand and the way he looked at her, somehow brought her back to being a teen again, the two of them depending only on each other. It effected her. "We can have what we've always wanted. We can give Henry, what we never had. We can have everything, Emma, don't you want that?" He used the all the right words. He was here, healthy and happy. The man she loved and mourned, right in front of her.

She gave the answers she knew were "right". She managed to take everyone in her family from fits of rage to relief and joy. While it took a load of weight off to have everyone stop yelling at her, there was an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach that did not ease and multiplied exponentially when she departed for the mansion that night.

Everyone objected again, of course. They had a few hours after Emma gave in to have some family time, so when Emma announced she was going to talk to Regina, they all worried immediately. She assured them though, that she was doing this out of respect to her. Just sitting there, pretending to be a happy little family while Regina was seemingly still waiting for her answer, was making her sick.

She felt horrible in fact. It took three tries to make it from her car to Regina's door step. She was coaching herself the whole way. Regina may care for her, but this was bigger than them both. The happiness of everyone seemed to be on her shoulders and she couldn't be selfish. They couldn't be selfish. Being together would hurt so many. That was what she was repeating as she finally reached the door.

It was late now, and Emma wasn't surprised when there was no answer to her knock. She pulled out the spare key Regina had given her and tried to ignore the wave of guilt that hit when she held that symbol of Regina's trust in her hand. She shook it off, trying to focus on her family. And then stopped when images of Regina and then even Luca entered her mind.

When she touched the key to the lock though, the door fell open on it's own.

"Regina?" Her senses were instantly on high alert as she crept into the silent house. There was something about it…something about the stillness in the air that told Emma what she soon found out.

She flipped on every light. Searched every room…but it was too late. When she saw the envelopes on the table, her gut sank like an anchor.

* * *

Regina knew when she walked away from them last night. She knew the second Henry's voice ripped through the silence, that she had lost. It had been temporarily overwhelming. It had taken her third glass of cider to bring her back to her previous conclusion.

She couldn't take her happiness from others. She had to create it. Allow herself to take advantage of opportunities in front of her. She couldn't force it. But she could have it… She _would_ have it.

She spent the whole day making arrangements. She ran this town for almost three decades and wouldn't have it run into the ground and spent a few hours ensuring that. Then she spent a few more on personal issues. It had given Granny an opportunity for some time with Luca, though she didn't know why she was with him the whole day.

It was late at night by the time she had finished the letters. It had taken awhile to finally just place them and walk away. She went to Luca's room and spent some time moving about in the silence until she confirmed she was ready. The only thing left was to wake him up.

Despite the late hour, when his eyes opened, he smiled up at her. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead, needing to draw off some of that love for a second. It fueled her. When she pulled back, she felt a bit more solid. Just a little stronger and more ready. She brushed his bangs away and smiled back at him.

"How would you like to go on an adventure?"

* * *

Emma sank to the floor, the thick envelope with her name elegantly written on front, open in her lap. She held the papers in front of her, the hand written letter in one, the legal document in the other. She shook her head in disbelief, her mind and body a whirlwind of emotions.

She spent longer than she could remember reading them over and over. Eventually, the calls coming into her phone from her family at home snapped her out of it. She gathered everything together, lastly grabbing the envelope addressed to one _Henry Swan_.

* * *

Regina held Luca's hand in her own as the other guided the steering wheel. She looked over and received an instant bright and excited smile. With a smile of her own Regina looked forward, glancing into the rear view mirror and watching the town sign disappear from sight.


	9. Chapter 9

**A Whole New World**

-2 Years Later-

Regina was beaming. She clapped her hands in front of her, the bright smile on her face unwavering. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled out excitedly before clapping again. When a woman next to her spoke, Regina turned and laughed, nodding her head before looking forward again. The joy on her face doubled as whistles blew a figure ran straight to her.

"That was amazing!" She praised, her pride clearly displayed in her features as she lifted her hands and received high fives.

"Thanks Mum." Luca let her pull him into a tight hug, grinning happily.

"That was your fifth in a row now, right?" She asked and he nodded excitedly.

"Yes!"

"Amazing." She repeated, still smiling. Luca glanced off to the side before giving her an innocent look.

"Sooo…does this mean I'm no longer grounded?" Luca asked cheekily. Regina shook her head, but her joy remained in full force.

"Luca…" She ran a hand from the buzzed side of his head to the strip of hair still present running from his forehead to the back of his neck.

"Come on, Mum, you have to admit it looks cool with all of us like this." He tilted his head and Regina glanced behind him at the rest of the team. She had been more than shocked and dismayed to see that the Shark's soccer team had decided _on their own _to shave their heads into Mohawks to resemble shark fins. So wonderfully clever they were.

"I don't think I have to admit anything like that." She said and Luca looked down _semi_ apologetically. He had seemed genuinely nervous when he saw her face after practice last night. Though it was incomparable to some of the other moms. Luca never realized he could fear a group of sweater wearing mothers so much before.

"Oh come now Regina, you can't punish him from coming over. You two have to come to the victory party." The woman approached from the side again and Regina gave her a look.

"Yes, Mother, we _have_ to come to the party. Mrs. Smith says so." Luca knew he had won, but was trying to play innocent. Regina looked back to him and grabbed that strip of hair in the middle of his head.

"You ever shave your head without my permission again, and I'll make you go bald for a year. Am I understood?" She said seriously. Luca swallowed and nodded his head.

"Yes Ma'am." He said respectfully. Susan smiled at the two of them.

"Good boy. Okay, go get your stuff." She smiled and he grinned again, turning to run back to the rest of the boys. Regina turned towards the woman again. "You know, I have a hard enough time disciplining that boy as is." She crossed her arms, but the other woman was amused.

"I'm sorry Regina, but I am not about to let you skip out on another party. You've been anti social the last few weeks."

"You know I've been very busy with the center. Plus, you have a party _every_ week, Susan." She pointed out with an amused smile.

"Well, in my defense, the original idea was a party only for every win, and that used to be only once a month, if that. It's your son that's caused all these celebrations." She said and Regina couldn't help another prideful look. Her boy had certainly made a quick and impressive impact on the team.

"Yes well, I did make a pie." She said lightly and Susan laughed.

"I knew you'd let him come. You're always so soft." When she finished, Regina snorted. "What?" Susan tilted her head with a smile.

"Nothing, that's just not something I've been accused of very often."

"I find that surprising." She said genuinely.

"Well what did you do to Damian?" Regina asked, looking over at the soccer team full of partially shaved heads.

"He's on dish duty for a month." Susan crossed her arms as well, standing side by side with Regina.

"Nice." Regina nodded.

"Well I'm a little jealous. I think bald for a year is a much better choice. I may borrow it." She smiled and Regina laughed.

"By all means, dear." She took a step as Luca ran back towards them with his bag over his shoulder. She smiled warmly as several other boys clapped him on the back and complimented him on his performance in their game.

"Well I'll see you two over there." Susan made her way towards her own son and Regina threw an arm around Luca. She waited until they were to the car before turning to face him.

"Okay, really, that was incredible. I am so proud of you." She couldn't help telling him again. He had started with this team only a few months prior and had already proven himself most valuable. He shined out there and she loved watching it.

"Thanks! Did you see that goal I scored with my head?!" He asked excitedly, happy not to have to be so humble for a moment. Regina encouraged him and if they were alone, he was allowed a bit of gloating.

"Yes! And when you did that flip kick!" She shook her own head, still amazed at the moves. "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Neither did I." He admitted with a laugh.

"Well it looked pretty impressive."

"Thanks." He turned and threw his duffle bag into the trunk before Regina closed it. "I am sorry about my hair, Mum. They said it would be cool to do it as a team." He looked more apologetic now and Regina sighed with a soft smile.

"It's alright. I guess I can appreciate how well you're getting along with them."

"And you too. Derrick's mom said she hoped to see you around more. That you're very sweet." He tilted his head with a grin and Regina gave him a playful nudge. They moved to the either side of the car and took their seats inside.

"It's been too long since I've thrown a fire ball." She said nostalgically as she started the car and Luca laughed.

"I think that's probably for the best, Mum." He kept laughing and Regina did too. "I really like it hear. I want to stay."

"It _is_ nice, isn't it?" She said but when she looked back at Luca, his gaze was focused out the window. Regina bit her lip to contain her grin. "Very nice indeed." Her amused tone made Luca tear his eyes away from the young girl walking by the car and fix his mother with a glare.

"Don't." He tried to look intimidating.

"What? She's cute." She couldn't drop her expression and Luca narrowed his eyes.

"Mum-"

"Put down your window and ask if she wants a ride."

"Mum, no. No." He held up a finger and looked seriously at her but she was shaking slightly with the effort of not laughing.

"Well okay, but I don't see how she'll be your girlfriend if you don't talk to her."

"I'm not talking to you." Luca crossed his arms and looked straight ahead. Regina laughed out loud, not being able to help teasing him a bit. He was actually quite a charmer, but she had noticed him looking at this new girl recently, but hadn't been able to speak up.

"Okay, lean back, I'll ask her-"

"Mother!"

"Okay, okay." She lifted her hands in surrender. "Just wanted to make you talk to me." She smiled victoriously and Luca rolled his eyes, but he smiled just slightly.

The first time his eyes had landed on a girl for just a tiny bit longer than a typical glance, Regina had been a little too stunned to know how to handle it. He had barely turned ten at the time and she hadn't reached that point with Henry yet when she had been home. It was all new territory and Regina was not happy going there. But then that had quickly started changing.

Regina couldn't get over how adorable it all was. He had those little girls swooning with the accent and the small grins. She would have felt bad teasing him, but Luca could give just as good as he got and they had fun with each other. A few months ago, when an elderly man had flirted with _her_, Luca hadn't let the teasing drop for over a week.

By the time they pulled up to the house, more than half the team and their families were already there. Kids were running about and as they got out of the car, she could see Luca already itching to get to them. As reluctant as she had been to start socializing with the other parents in the beginning, she was actually glad she had. Especially with the number of parties they had, she had to learn to adapt to the environment, and it had quickly become less awkward with each visit. Plus this way, Luca could play without her either leaving or standing awkwardly in the corner.

"Alright, go play. But tell me if you're going down to the beach, okay?" She lifted his chin with her hand.

"Okay." He smiled before running straight towards the back of the house. She watched him momentarily before grabbing her pie and heading towards the front door. She had been there plenty of times now, and knew her way to the kitchen. It was still a bit of an adjustment to step into a room with a group of excited mothers.

"Regina, glad you came." A younger woman, Tiffany, came right up to her with a cheerful smile. Regina wasn't _as_ enthusiastic, but, she was able to smile back easily now.

"Thank you, dear."

"Oh _please_ tell me that's your apple pie." She said hopefully.

"That it is." She placed it in the woman's outstretched hands and moved over towards the counter where Susan was standing.

"Drink?" Susan glanced her way.

"Yes, thank you." She took the glass Susan fixed her gratefully and already felt a little more comfortable.

"We were just talking about all the boys' groundings from the haircuts. Yours is a close second as favorite." Susan smirked as she took her own glass and stood next to Regina.

"Second?" Regina couldn't help but question her and Susan chuckled.

"Yes, well, Amanda is making Justin wear a suit and tie to school every day until his hair grows back to how it was before." She started and Regina lifted an eyebrow at the younger, perky brunette grinning by the counter. She had to admit she was impressed.

"Yes, and if he does it again, he will wear a _dress_ until it grows back." Amanda gave a mischievous smile before taking a swig of her own drink and now Regina truly was impressed.

"I guess I can accept defeat to that." Regina inclined her head and tilted her glass. Amanda gave a mock bow and Regina contained her amusement at the irony. Several other woman Regina had gotten to know, came in and started getting drinks, everyone relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere.

"So Regina…" Tiffany, a curly haired blonde with a southern accent stepped closer to her and Regina turned slightly to give her, her attention. "How's Luca been enjoying school? He used to be home schooled, didn't he?"

"Yes, he actually likes it. The school was a big reason we decided to stay here permanently. They seem pretty laid back, which is good for him."

"Oh yes. We actually checked out a few when we moved here and just loved this one the best. Much better than the one Sammy went to in Texas. So where did you two come from?" She tilted her head and looked curiously at Regina. Regina took a swig from her drink before responding.

"We've actually moved around quite a bit. We explored the country for awhile until we stopped here about…six or so months ago, and really liked it. We found the sun the school and the team and fell in love with it all." She said honestly and the other women smiled.

"That sounds wonderful. But where were you before that?" She pushed on and Regina had to remind herself that they all were genuinely curious and not trying to be invasive. The way everyone was so involved in each other's lives was something she hadn't quite gotten used to, but was handling better.

"Well, I'm originally from Maine."

"Wow, you two _have _come quite a ways. Well I for one, am thrilled you chose to settle in California." She smiled warmly and the other women all voiced their agreement.

* * *

"I'm sorry for all the questions, but you are the most mysterious member of our little group. I can't help myself." Within a few hours, Tiffany seemed to be just the slightest bit tipsy but Regina was merely amused.

She had noticed in the past when that happened, she would sleep in Susan's guest room and the boys would have a fun sleepover. It didn't seem anyone minded it. According to the rumor mill Regina couldn't avoid, Tiffany was going through a divorce with her husband and not everyday was a walk in the park.

"And I have answered them all, dear." Regina pointed out, drinking from her coffee mug Susan had given her, having gotten to know Regina enough to understand her typical habits. One alcoholic drink, then coffee or tea for the rest of the night.

"I know, but there's just something about you…I feel like you must have some crazy, wild past, or something like that." She shook her head, studying Regina as if she could unlock all her secrets.

"And you got that from what exactly?" Susan stepped in. "The soccer mom aspect? The volunteer work? Loving mother?" She said and Regina smirked. Tiffany rolled her eyes.

"I'm just saying. There's more to Regina Mills than soccer cleats and needy children."

"Alright Tiffany, leave the poor woman alone." Susan also knew Regina well enough to know that she was a private person and probably wouldn't be confessing her past in front of a large group of slightly inebriated adults. The blonde shrugged and turned back towards Amanda and a few others.

"Thank you." Regina smiled at the red head.

Regina really liked Susan. Despite her red hair and a bit more confidence, she reminded Regina of Katherine and the two had clicked much faster than Regina did with any others. She hadn't really been one for real friends, with the exception of Katherine, but was pleased to have met this woman during her and Luca's first week in San Diego.

It was six months ago when they had just been walking down to the beach Luca had instantly fallen in love with, when the woman quite literally bumped right into Regina. It was during the apology turned conversation following, that Regina realized Luca had started playing with another kid with a ball in the sand. Luca had no issues making friends and the women had been amused to see their own sons forming the instant bond.

The impromptu play date turned into a lunch, which led to the set up of the next get together for the boys, who were already discussing sports and movies and games. In only a few weeks, Susan began putting the idea out there of Regina and Luca making the city home. By the time the decision was made, it was done so easily.

"So…" Susan interrupted her thoughts, something she did often when Regina got too antisocial in her opinion. "How are things going with Lilly?" Despite her distraction, the name brought an instant smile to Regina's face.

"_Still_ slower than I'd like." She admitted. Susan was one of the few she discussed Lilly with. "But things are coming along much more smoothly now."

"That's great. Have you told her yet?"

"No." She said immediately. "Not until everything is set."

"I understand." Susan nodded, knowing just how paranoid Regina had been the last couple months. Though she was sure everything was going fine, she understood her friend's fear.

"I hate to say it, but I think it's time we headed out." Regina said and Susan tilted her head.

"I can't convince you to stay? It looks like Tiffany will be. We could have a girls night?!" She said sarcastically, knowing exactly how enthusiastic Regina would be to such an idea.

"As tempting as that offer is, because of that test tomorrow, I want to make sure I get Luca to bed at a reasonable hour."

"Oh, I forgot about that. I really wish all their games were only on the weekends so they didn't have to get to bed." She sighed. "Alright, well at some point, I'm going to convince you to stay late so I can see that wild side I know you hide." Susan smirked as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Good luck with that, dear." She nodded and accepted the small hug from the red head. "I'll be by in the morning." She finished before heading out to the porch to look out over the yard. When she called out, it only took a few seconds to see the dirty blonde, now spiked, head to come into sight.

* * *

"Alright, let's see…religious." Regina said as she placed a plate in front of Luca.

"R-E-L-I-G-I-O-U-S." He glanced up and Regina smiled.

"Perfect." She said and Luca stabbed a fork into his eggs with a grin. "Next…folklore."

"F-O-L-K-L-O-R-E." Again, he glanced up and again, was met with a smile.

"Brilliant. Alright, one more." She lifted the paper up and then looked back towards Luca. "Photosynthesis." She watched as he squinted his eyes a bit. "Sound it out." She coached and he really concentrated then.

"P-H-O-T-O…S-Y-N…T-H…E…S-I-S." He looked up much more hesitantly but Regina was grinning proudly.

"You are going to do wonderfully." She assured as she took the seat opposite him with her own breakfast.

"I don't know." He said and Regina tilted her head.

"Honey, you just got them all right on the first try."

"Yes, but that's with _you_. It's always harder when they're asking me." He said and she smiled sympathetically.

"Try not focusing on them. Your teacher says a word, just think about me and us sitting here and going over your words. You know them. Just remember that. There's no reason to be nervous. No matter how you do, it'll be okay." She watched him as his expression grew a little more confident again.

He did so much better at this school. They simply had a different kind of learning environment and with a boy that didn't enjoy being talked _at _for hours on end, it was working wonderfully. They were interactive and inventive in their teaching and Luca actually liked school. The only thing that still caught him up though, were tests. They hadn't done anything like that in the almost two years she taught him on her own. He was doing better though, and his confidence was growing.

They finished breakfast and got into the car, stopping once along the way towards the school, and pulling up in front of Susan's house. Luca got out and ran up to the front door, returning with his friend a moment later.

"Hello Damian." Regina said kindly as both boys hopped in the back.

"Hey Regina."

"Buckled up?" She glanced back and got the affirmative from both of them. She looked out the window and waved to Susan standing in the doorway before pulling away again.

They continued on as they did most days. The boys chatting away happily, Regina, amused by their conversations and slightly less annoyed by the morning traffic. They arrived at the school and Regina turned in her seat to face them.

"Alright, you two have a good day. Good luck on the test. You'll both do great." She smiled at them.

"Thanks Mum."

"Thanks Regina."

Luca opened the door and hopped out, followed closely by Damian. Regina glanced back again and shook her head.

"Damian?" She called and the boy turned to face the car. "Your lunch." She pointed and he ran back.

"Right, sorry." He laughed sheepishly and Regina just shook her head as he ran back towards the school.

"Every damn day." She mumbled, amusedly, but was still smiling as she watched them all the way into the building until she drove off to work.

Luca and Damian walked through the halls, making their way towards their classroom. Damian stepped inside, but paused when Luca stopped abruptly in the hall.

"Luca?" He saw the confused expression on his friend's face and his own curiosity was peaked.

"Sorry I…I just thought I saw something." He stared down the hall for another second before shaking it off and mentally laughing at himself for the ridiculous thought.

"What are you, going for the insanity plea to get out of a spelling test?" Damian laughed and Luca shoved him.

"Shut up." He said but was smiling. "Come on, let's get this over with." He glanced down the hall one last time before stepping inside and taking his seat.

* * *

Just down the hall, eighth grade math was beginning. Right before the teacher started her lecture, the school principal walked in and all the students straightened just slightly. The teacher turned and smiled.

"Principal Sanders, what can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to bring in our new student." She stepped to the side and revealed the boy behind her. With a smile, she placed a hand on his shoulder and looked towards the class. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Henry Mills."

* * *

**So when I started writing this part, I had some Trina Decker/Susan Miller feels. Hence her friend's first name being Susan… **

**Oh and PS, blanks will be filled in. I know it was a big time jump…**


	10. Chapter 10

**The Real Lost Boy**

-1 Month Ago-

Henry called out when he entered the station, but he knew Emma was out on a call and wasn't surprised when no one else was in sight. He dropped his bag on a desk before heading into Emma's office and started his search.

He had looked everywhere else and figured he must have left his English paper here. He lifted a few files he saw on the desk, then looked in the drawers on either side. When that proved quickly unsuccessful, he landed his hands on either side of the desk, a little harder than was probably necessary. The movement awoke Emma's computer and Henry's gaze caught the screen as it came to life. His eyes widened instantly.

On pretty much any other day, Henry would have ignored it. There was no reason to look at her computer, as he only used his own now. Today though, there was a notification on the screen. The results of a search preformed, most likely today. Also most likely, was that Emma had started it before being called out, and left before the results formulated and appeared on her screen.

Henry collapsed into the desk chair. He knew Emma still did these searches every so often. They weren't as frequent anymore, but he had no doubt her efforts hadn't ever ceased. This also wasn't the first time a promising window opened up. There were over a hundred women named Regina Mills in the United States and they popped up often. Henry couldn't pretend not to notice the way Emma had gotten so discouraged from all the time spent sifting through those results only to constantly come up empty. However, there was only one Luca Mills.

And here he was.

One Luca Mills had been added to the fifth grade roster of a small school in San Diego. Henry saw that it had been dated a couple months prior and was a little surprised at how long it had taken Emma to search again. They had just passed another one of Regina's birthdays though, and Henry could see why now was a time she would look again. He was surprised at how long it had taken, but then he knew how Emma was these days. It wasn't really all that surprising, he guessed.

He realized how fast his heart was beating. He had thought of this countless times, but it was different now that it was actually happening.

Two years. Two long years and here it was. One random day that was otherwise unremarkable, had just changed his life. His mind was running wild. If both felt like forever, and like no time had passed. Though if none had passed, he knew there would be no way he would be forming the plan currently taking root in his mind. After jotting down the information in his notebook, Henry glanced around the room before deleting the message.

* * *

-Present Day-

Henry stepped out of the office and walked with the Principal. It had all gone so much easier than he would have thought. He knew his computer skills were on par and wasn't worried about problems with his enrollment, but he did expect to need an explanation for showing up alone on his first day. However, the office staff had been kind and after confirming his place in their computers, the Principal herself had wanted to escort him.

He had been a little preoccupied with the thrill of seeing out his mission. Everything was going perfectly and it was exciting. So he wasn't paying much attention when he glanced up the hallway and spotted a semi familiar sight. He was still trying to process it when he had the presence of mind to step a little behind the principal to conceal himself. Being seen wasn't the plan yet.

He stayed hidden until they stepped into the classroom. The teacher inside turned and smiled.

"Principal Sanders, what can I do for you?" She asked, sounding genuine. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, not nearly as formal as the teachers in Storybrooke.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to bring in our new student." The Principal stepped to the side and Henry now faced the whole class. With a smile, she placed a hand on his shoulder and looked towards the class. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Henry Mills."

Henry took a deep breath. Part of him couldn't believe he was doing any of this. Emma was going to kill him, that was almost certain. The only chance he had, was if he was successful. He wondered if she would heed his letter. Probably not. But with the work he did on her computer, he at least had a window of time before she figured out where he was.

He had to be more careful. He didn't want to be seen yet and had already caught Luca's eyes once. It was so brief though and with his hair falling into his face and the height difference of a couple years, he knew that most likely, Luca hadn't recognized him.

Now Luca was another story. Henry assumed that he and Regina would have changed over time. Seeing how different the people back home were now, he would have been surprised if everything was exactly the same. But then he hadn't really though of Luca's physical appearance. He had just been picturing the scraggly little boy with hair in disarray. That however, was not what he saw.

He was taller, which wasn't so shocking. He was healthier looking though, stronger. Not such a fragile little child anymore. While Henry knew his own growth spurt outmatched Luca's by a good six inches, who would win in a fight, was a different matter. Regardless of all that though, it was most definitely the spiked up Mohawk that was a blaring red flag of the changes they had made. It wasn't even as much about Luca, as Regina. How that went down, was something he'd pay to see.

He kept his head down for the rest of the day. He put his hood up and brushed his bangs into his face. He looked out for signs of Luca, but didn't see him again until lunch time. He kept in the corner of the cafeteria and just watched the interactions of the very former Lost Boy.

It was nothing like it had been in Storybrooke. Luca had no one there. He always sat alone and the fact that he dreaded the place, was clearly evident in his expression at all times. Here though, Luca was surrounded by other kids. Three of the other boys around him had the same haircut, but there were a few others, as well as a few girls that all surrounded him, talking and laughing the whole time.

It was fascinating to watch. He was like a completely different person in one aspect, but then maybe not. Henry didn't know anything about them here, but if they were starting over, not only would Regina no longer be The Evil Queen, but Luca wouldn't be The Lost Boy. He was just a kid and that fun, carefree nature that accompanied such a status, was shining through.

When the end of the day came around, Henry hurried for the door. He stayed by the side of the building and kept a sharp eye out. It was hard to see through the herd of kids leaving the school, but he still spotted the familiar car the second it pulled up on the curb. He didn't blink when the front door opened.

No matter how prepared he thought he was. No matter how much he had thought of this during the hours and hours of travel on the bus. No matter how sure of himself he was, he was still so completely stunned when he finally saw her.

Two years had done a lot to him. A lot more than anyone, he was sure. From the day he had awoken to Emma handing him that letter, things had started changing. Very slowly, mind you, but it started then.

In those first few months, had he been in this position, the reaction would have been radically different. In fact, on any day, the reaction would have been different. But it had been two long years. Two years since he saw his mother and here she was.

It was similar to what he had noticed about Luca. Regina just had this bright shining light about her here. All the stiffness and rigidity that usually possessed her, was completely eradicated. She was dressed so casually, leaning on the Mercedes. Henry was nearly too distracted by seeing his long lost mother to notice the woman that had excited the passenger seat. But he did, and that was another perplexing sight.

The women stood side by side, looking towards the school, but talking to each other. Regina was laughing and Henry realized in that moment, that he couldn't remember the last time he saw her laugh like that. The woman next to her gave her a small nudge and Regina returned it, stunning Henry again with the formerly uncharacteristic display of playfulness.

He watched Luca run straight up to her and before greeting her, lifted a paper up for her viewing. Henry didn't know what it was, but it seemed to make Regina very happy as she gave him a high five before pulling him into a hug. Another kid was there as well, red hair, cut like Luca's, one Henry had seen throughout the day with him. The woman Henry now assumed to be _his_ mother, gave that kid a similar reaction.

He stayed standing there as they all got back into the car, the women in front with both boys behind. They drove off and Henry still just stood there. It was one thing to think about her, to envision how they were now, it was an entirely different thing to actually see her again.

It took Henry another hour to finally leave the school that day.

* * *

-2 Years Ago-

"Did you even read it?" Emma looked down at Henry, who was much too impassionate for her comfort.

"I will." He shrugged.

"Okay…cool…whatever." Emma said flatly, throwing up her hands and walked back towards the kitchen.

She told him Regina was gone and he shrugged. She handed him the letter and he shrugged. She yelled at him and he fucking shrugged.

The only time she got a reaction out of him was when she showed him the adoption papers Regina included in her letter. She thought she saw something there. A flicker of something more than disinterest. It was gone quickly and he was back to bugging Neal to go out somewhere. But…he didn't shrug.

Emma didn't know that Henry just couldn't read the letter. He was angry about what had happened the night before when he saw his adoptive mother kiss Emma. When he heard her tell Emma to leave Neal. To end the relationship that Henry wanted more than anything. He was so angry, but now…she was just gone.

The woman that had nearly killed an entire town to have him to herself had just left. Signed him over to the woman she used to call an enemy. To the woman she had once banned from even seeing him. She wasn't going to be his mother anymore. She _chose_ not to be his mother anymore.

It was those first few days that he just didn't know what to do. The town was fine. His grandparents were happy. Neal was relieved. Emma…Emma was the only one upset though she was trying hard to control it. Henry knew that.

He tried to pretend he didn't see it. He spent months denying what he knew. He acted like he didn't know Regina's letter to Emma was locked in her office at the station. He said nothing when he found her passed out with her face on the papers at her desk after she didn't come home the night before. He ignored the empty bottles lying around as well.

He denied seeing that vacant look in his mother's eyes when his father pulled her close. He chose not to over think the flinch when he snuck up behind her and grabbed her waist. He replaced all the missing smiles from her face with ones of his own. It was more than four months before he read his letter.

When she had left, after those first few days of shock, he had focused on his mother and father being together and being his family. While he was ignoring the signs around him, he was choosing to love his own life. He finally had it. The night his father proposed to his mother, he knew. He finally had everything.

He had everything he had ever wanted. A perfect family with a mother and father. He had Snow White and Prince Charming. He was a little prince among the greatest heroes. He was surrounded by love no matter where he turned and only when he was secure in that knowledge, did he pick up his letter and read it.

It was almost a casual deal for him. A spur of the moment decision. They had just come home from the celebration where his father asked Emma to be with him forever and she had accepted. He was used to seeing what he wanted and so when Emma said yes, that was that. They were to be married. The happy ending was truly here. He ignored everything else. So did his entire family.

He was too excited to sleep. While he laid in bed, he remembered the letter. It was late, he was tired, and in his mind, it would help to cement everything into place. Just say goodbye to her forever and he would stop having dreams about the woman that adopted and loved him his whole life. Just read the words and her face would stop popping into his mind while he was trying to enjoy his perfect family.

He grabbed it and tore it open finally, after the four month long delay. He sat back down on his bed and looked straight at the words.

_Dear Henry, _

_I love you. I always have. I always will. It is something I cannot help. In my heart, you are my son. That is why I have made this decision. You and I both deserve a chance at happiness. I want you to be happy, Henry. I wish you all the happiness in the world. _

_Goodbye Henry_

That was it.

Henry just kept staring. He had expected a lengthy recollection of their years together. He expected excuses and answers for her behavior. He expected pleading and begging for love and forgiveness. He expected something…Anything more…

He didn't sleep after that. He just kept looking back at the letter and then staring at the ceiling. She was gone. She was actually gone and not coming back. He just couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

It took him a month to sneak into Emma's office and read her letter.

Henry knew it was wrong. He was more than aware that this broke her trust. Both his mothers' trust actually, at the same time and on so many levels. But he still went to her office. He still used the key he stole and he still opened the cabinet. He ignored his own gut telling him that this was not okay and he took the envelope. He sat at her desk and he opened the letter. He took a deep breath and he read.

Over the next year and a half, his emotions regarding that letter would take a few turns. But when he finished reading it that day in Emma's office, he couldn't pretend he didn't feel like he had just been sucker punched in the gut.

* * *

-Present Day-

Henry paced around the motel room feeling completely bored. All the excitement of each piece of the plan falling into place dissipated as he found himself with absolutely nothing to do. He hadn't quite thought it all through as much as he assumed. He spent so much time planning his trip from Storybrooke, getting into school, getting into a motel, all without anyone realizing the teenager had no adult supervision whatsoever, that he didn't really account for what he would exactly be doing once he was here.

He didn't want to just barge in and reveal himself. He knew he needed a plan. If he just knocked on her door, there was a good chance he'd be on the first bus back to Main and then grounded for the rest of his life. He couldn't disrupt and upset everyone and gain nothing. That was unacceptable.

He had a mission. No matter what, he would accomplish it.

* * *

Henry repeated the same routine the next few days. He just wanted to watch for a moment and try to fit in with his surroundings. California was an interesting place. You could be loud and crazy and take attention, or you could hide behind those people and go unnoticed. Henry found it relatively easy to stay out of sight and blend into the background. For that, he was grateful.

He got to school early enough to watch all the parents and busses drop off students. He didn't have to wait too long until he saw the Mercedes pull up. Luca jumped out the back, followed by that other kid he kept seeing. That red headed boy made it all the way to the walkway before stopping and running back to the car. It looked like Regina was joking with him as he came back out of the car laughing, a lunch bag in hand.

It was a curious sight and it repeated in a similar fashion the next day. As did the lunch time and pickup routine in the afternoon. Regina and her friend waited for the boys outside the school and they drove off all together. On the fourth day, while watching over Luca at lunch, a random kid sat down at Henry's table. He looked up startled.

"Sorry, is this seat taken?" A boy he recognized from several of his classes pointed and Henry shook his head.

"No, you can have it." He said and the other kid sat down.

"You're Henry right?"

"Um yeah. What's your name?"

"John. So…you don't really talk to anyone." He said simply and Henry just nodded a little awkwardly.

"Yeah, well, I'm new." He shrugged.

"Right. Where'd you come from?"

"Uh…Maine." Henry hadn't completely thought of everything he would tell people. He went back and forth on using his real name, but he wasn't about to use Swan and making something up completely seemed silly in his situation.

"Why'd you move here?" He pushed on and Henry almost wanted to tell him it was none of his business. But then maybe it wouldn't hurt to have someone to talk to.

"Um…I have some family stuff going on." He said, hoping the allusive answer would suffice. He decided to jump in before John had a chance to continue. "So how long have you lived here?"

"My whole life."

"Cool, you play any sports?" He pushed on.

"No, I hate sports." He said and Henry didn't doubt that. His long hair and piercing didn't exactly scream jock.

"Oh, I just wondered because it looks like a lot if kids here do. I see a lot of those." He pointed as a younger boy with a haircut mirroring Luca's walked by.

"Yeah, that's one of the soccer teams. I don't know what their problem is." He rolled his eyes.

"Well they are the Sharks, right?" Henry asked, having noticed all the symbols of school spirit around. "It's kind of clever." He shrugged and ignored the look John gave him. "When uh…when do they play?" He asked, hoping to get a chance to see Regina again.

"I don't know man, I don't watch a bunch of boys running around playing with balls. There's schedules up around the school." He said and Henry really wasn't terribly surprised this kid didn't have others to sit with. The bell sounded and Henry was relieved.

"Well thanks." Henry stood and made his way out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Sure enough, there was a game happening that night. After school, Henry decided to forego waiting outside to watch Regina show up and instead stayed in the library to do school work. He figured if he was here, no matter how long that was, he might as well at least try.

When he was done, he made his way to the fields. As he had inside the school, he kept out of sight. He approached from the outside, a hat down on his head and sunglasses to help conceal himself. He was early, hoping to see them when they got there, but then he should have assumed. His mother had always been more than punctual.

Henry stayed off to the side, taking a seat on some bleachers and turned his body to face her. Regina was standing towards the line, chatting with a group of other woman while the kids on the field warmed up. Again, he was just so caught off guard by her demeanor. She was smiling and laughing unguarded. She continuously glanced back at the field towards Luca, but still maintained conversations with everyone.

When she looked at Luca, she had such a proud expression. He recognized that look. Once upon a time, it was aimed at him. Long before now. Long before he called her Evil. Before he turned his back on her. Before he left her for a better family. Before he lost her.

He had that same feeling now that he had grown accustomed to. That gnawing, twisting feeling in his gut that used to make him throw up. That now only served as a reminder of his failings. He wondered if would ever go away. Maybe if he was successful.

He watched the whole game. He had thought he wouldn't look away from Regina, but he found himself actually watching the players on the field. Luca was, admittedly, phenomenal. Henry had never watched him back in Storybrooke, so now was the first time he saw the boy in action.

Despite his usually childish and carefree attitude, in the game, he was focused. He was determined. He was a team player. He was good, not only at scoring, but leading the other boys. Passing it at the right time and encouraging them to make a shot. Henry really understood that look on Regina's face.

The longer he sat there, the harder time he had not going to them. The energy radiating from them was drawing him in and he stood up once, nearly walking right up to Regina and tapping her on the shoulder. It was extremely temping.

He wasn't even sure what he was waiting for exactly. Seeing them so happy changed things. He wasn't naïve or conceded enough to assume they were miserable, but the unabashed joy was a little unexpected. In fact, the more he watched, the less sure he was about his presence here.

But then he wasn't going back now. It wasn't just the length of the travel distance. It hadn't just taken him three days to get here. It had taken him two years.

The game ended and all the boys gathered. After a quick talk from their coach, Luca ran to Regina and she pulled him tightly into her arms. Henry didn't even realize he had stood again. He didn't know his legs were moving. It wasn't until he actually bumped into someone's chair that he realized how close he was.

Regina and Luca turned and Henry blinked out of it. He saw her face shifting to aim his way and reacted, stepping quickly behind some passersby and then ducked behind a wall they walked past. He felt a little ridiculous about this, but he just wasn't ready. All the excitement from his arrival here was gone. The moment he'd been preparing for, for the last month was here and he didn't know what to do.

He peeked cautiously around the corner and held his breath as Regina, with her arm around Luca, approached only feet from where he was. He saw her face so clearly, the beautiful smile so close.

"So do we get to stay late tonight? Because it _is _the weekend now." Luca asked and they were just coming past Henry when Regina responded.

"Yes, actually Susan said you could stay the night if you want. Just remember we're going to the center tomorrow for the opening." Regina replied and Henry strained his neck to see her as they finally passed.

That was the first time he had heard her voice in years. It was just as he remembered, but that didn't make the feeling any less intense. It was almost like the day he had gone back to the mansion and went into her room. It wasn't long after reading her letter to Emma. He had only gone there to retrieve some more of his things, but he couldn't help himself. He had stepped into her immaculate room. He sat on her bed and remembered the times she would let him sleep with her when he had a nightmare, or a storm scared him awake and he needed her comfort.

She had never hesitated. She always just lifted him up and covered him in the blanket before wrapping him into her arms. He had been so young and taken those moments for granted. That moment, sitting in her room, was one of those times the twisting in his gut led him running for the nearest bathroom.

Henry caught his breath and watched them leave. He went from the high of everything going right, to just feeling lost again. He watched them get into the car and still considered just running up to them. Just saying hi and going from there. But he couldn't do that. He still needed to find the right moment. He wasn't ready.

Only after they disappeared, did he finally step away from the wall. He walked the mile back to his motel, his mind working the whole way. He needed something to focus on. Once inside, he grabbed his computer and set his mind on discovering whatever "center" it was his mother had mentioned.

* * *

**I'll fill in deeper than that, i just want to start giving some glimpses. Next chapter we'll be back to Regina and Luca and meet the mysterious Lilly :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, the reactions to the last chapter we're quite interesting to read. There were very different perspectives on Henry and although some were quite surprising to me, I guess I can really appreciate how involved everyone is and that they feel so strongly. Now, one person, a "guest", did say it seemed I went out of my way to make Henry a douche. Which, lemme tell you, no one has to go out of their way to do that. But that's not my point. That was literally the exact opposite that I was trying to do in ch 10. I'm trying to show some of his **_**progression **_**from the spoiled brat he was before. I don't expect to make you fall in love with him, I did put him in a bad light before, but as I've always said with this story, it needs to be read with an open mind or you'll always find something to be angry about… I regret **_**none**_** of the aspects of this story and I sincerely hope you all enjoy the directions it goes in. :)**

* * *

**Safe Haven**

"Regina, come on in." Susan greeted with a smile. Regina returned it and stepped inside. "Coffee?"

"You have to ask?" Regina smirked. Susan shook her head and led them back towards the kitchen, pouring two cups.

"Excited for today?" Susan asked as she leaned back against the counter.

"I am actually. I think it's going to be great."

"It will. You've done so much in just a short time. I had wondered if we would ever get that place running. I am thrilled you came along and took on the project. Without your enthusiasm, I don't think it would have come about at all."

"I will say I have somewhat of a passion for…lost children." She said with a small tilt of her head. Susan smiled warmly. "Though this was all your idea. It's your baby, you need to take a lot more credit."

"We'll co-parent it." She grinned and Regina paused only a second before smiling back.

"Mum?" Luca appeared at the doorway to the kitchen and Regina faced him.

"Good morning, sweetheart." She reached out and he came to her side, hugging her in greeting. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes, we built a fort out of couch cushions and then spent all night playing video games inside." He said excitedly.

"You did?" She smiled as she continued to hold him, but turned her eyes slowly towards Susan again. "_All _night, hmm?"

"Not _all_ night." She defended weakly. "Sorry." She looked down shamefully and Luca giggled slightly.

"It's fine, dear. Tonight, when they get all cranky and moody, _you_ can watch them." She smirked at Susan's immediate frown.

"What if I buy breakfast instead?" She said hopefully. Regina laughed and gave her a nod.

"Come on boys." Regina placed her arms around both kids and walked them out, all of them in high spirits.

* * *

Regina couldn't remember the last time she had been this excited. She was trying to remain cool and collected, but she was buzzing. Far more kids had shown up than she had thought. Not all of them were from the children's home up the street or even foster kids at all. Some were just lonely children or teenagers that needed a place to go. She was actually wondering if they would need more staff. Though at times Regina found the soccer moms a little overwhelming, they sure liked to volunteer.

Regina walked down the hall, passed a few rooms where kids were checking out the different activities available to them. They seemed genuinely excited about it and that warmed her further. She noticed most of the older kids there stuck to the more casual living areas, but she was happy they could just relax and be safe.

When she made her way to the yard in the back, she completely melted. She watched as Luca took a little girl by the hand and walked her back to the ball. He knelt down and directed her until she flung out a leg, hitting the ball on the side and sending far away from the intended target. Despite the miss, Luca praised her and gave her an excited high five.

"What are you two doing?" She approached and both turned and smiled at her.

"I'm playing soccer." The little girl said and Regina bent down to eye level.

"You are?" Regina smiled at the four year old as she nodded excitedly.

"Yup."

"And is Luca helping you?" She glanced over to him and Luca seemed happy as can be.

"Yes, he said I'm getting really good." She started and then leaned closer like she wanted to tell Regina a secret. "I think I can beat him." She whispered and Regina chuckled.

"You think so, hmm?" She said and the girl nodded. "Maybe we should challenge him." She rose an eyebrow and got another excited head nod in response. "What do you say, Luca?"

"Bring it on."

"Well, you heard him." Regina took her hand and the little girl bounced on her heels excitedly.

"Let's get him!" She ran over to the ball and just started kicking. Luca glanced at Regina before shrugging and chasing after.

Regina found that in moments like this, she loved Luca even more. He chased after the girl and had her giggling and squealing in delight when he snuck up on her. He stayed back enough for her to kick the ball and then slowed his own running when she was trying to catch up. Regina just loved watching, but apparently that wasn't quite enough.

"Re_gina_,help me!" She demanded and Regina chuckled a little at her tone.

"Yes, Princess."

When the ball went off in a new direction and both children went after it, Regina ran up behind the girl and lifted her up before running faster and beating Luca to the ball. She laughed as Regina lowered her down to the ball and she hit it with her foot, sending it straight into the goal.

"I did it!" She yelled and Regina placed her down and turned her around.

"Yes you did!" She smiled widely when the girl jumped into her arms.

"Awe man, you guys beat me." Luca came up to them and Regina grinned at him.

"Hello?" A woman appeared from the backdoor and made her way into the yard. "Sweetie, it's time for us to go." She said kindly but Regina deflated a little.

"I wanna stay with Regina and Luca." The girl pouted and dropped her head to Regina's shoulder. Regina rested her cheek on her head and the other woman looked sympathetically.

"I know, but it's getting late."

"Can I come back here later?" She pulled back to look at Regina who smiled warmly at her.

"Actually, I was planning on picking you up tomorrow. How does that sound?" She asked and the little girl was instantly all smiles again.

"Are we gonna go to the park?!" She asked excitedly. Regina grinned.

"If that's what you want."

"Yes!" She leaned forward and threw her arms around Regina's neck. Regina smiled and held her for another moment.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow first thing, okay?" She lifted her hand to the girl's cheek.

"Okay! Bye Regina." She sounded so happy and Regina wished she didn't have to go.

"Goodbye Lilly." She gave her one more affectionate hug before putting her on the ground again.

"Go grab your bag, honey." The woman approached her and led her back towards the door before facing Regina again. "I'm sorry to have to take her from you." She said and Regina knew she was being honest.

"I know, Becky, it's okay." She tried to keep the disappointment from her tone.

"Won't be long though." She smiled. "This place it truly amazing, Regina. We're all very grateful. I've been having a difficult time rounding up the children. I think they're avoiding me." She laughed.

"I am really hoping they all feel free enough to just come and go as they want." She said honestly.

"I'm sure they will." She touched Regina's arm before stepping back and going inside. Regina went back to Luca and wrapped an arm around him.

"This _is_ really cool, Mother."

"Thank you, sweetheart." She pulled him close as she looked up at the building. She had no idea that she could be so genuinely happy with her own accomplishment. To be truly proud of herself. But she was.

* * *

-4 Months Ago-

"I'm really glad you decided to come out with me, Regina." Susan smiled over at her and turned the steering wheel to move down another street.

"As am I. But do you care to tell me where we're going?" She didn't recognize the area they were moving into. Each turn took them into an area a little less attractive than the last.

"Well I did promise you lunch, I just need to make a quick stop." When they pulled in front of an old decrepit looking building, Regina let her skepticism show. Susan laughed. "Don't worry. I know it looks bad, but it's safe…_ish_." She added casually and got out of the car. Regina looked around carefully before following after.

Susan walked ahead and used a key to unlock the door. Regina stepped in after her and tried to take in her surroundings. While the inside didn't look too much better than the outside, it was definitely more interesting. It was set up like a home, but with a more juvenile look to it. Posters and bean bag chairs, foosball and pool tables and various puzzles and board games lying about. It was a curious place.

"What is all this?" She asked as she continued inspecting the place.

"Well, it _was_ a youth center. There's a children's home up the street and they made this place for them to be able to hang out safely. So they could have a little fun without getting into trouble." She explained and Regina's interest peaked just ever so slightly.

"I see. What happened to it?"

"The man who originally set it up moved away and there was no one to take over. It just kind of went down hill and then the city came in and shut it down. I'm friends with one of the social workers for the home and she told me how badly they needed something like this for their kids. I had _hoped_ to revive it."

"Hoped?" Regina asked, coming back towards her again.

"Well, it's a big undertaking. I'd love to do it, but I don't think I have the time that will have to go into it. We would need someone organized, professional, but caring…" Susan paced slightly, looking around the living room casually. "Someone who obviously loves kids and wants to help them. Who also has the availability and work ethic to get it done." She bit at her lip, glancing subtly at Regina who looked like she was concentrating.

When she still didn't take the bait, Susan tried something else.

"You know, I told my friend I would drop by and say hi. Do you mind?" She asked kindly.

"Not at all." Regina replied and they stepped out of the house.

"We can walk, if you'd like. It's just up this street." Susan pointed and Regina nodded.

It really was close and Regina heard the voices of children before she saw them. From the moment she did get a visual of the place though, she understood why they were desperate for a place like that building.

Kids were outside attempting to play with what little they had, but it wasn't much. The yard was more like a parking lot. A backboard with no hoop, a swing set without the actual swing. Some kids had a ball, but nothing other than the pavement to play on. It was not an impressive sight by any means.

They stepped inside and Susan led them down a hallway. When they moved past an open door, Regina's attention was drawn in. She paused when an little girl playing inside turned and waved at her. Regina found herself smiling and waved back.

"This is kind of like a playroom for them. It has what toys they have." Susan said as she saw Regina looking inside. She noticed her peaked interest in there. "You know, if you want to stay here, my friend's office is just down the hall."

"Ok." Regina said right away and Susan grinned from behind her. Regina stepped into the room and walked over to the girl who had waved to her.

"Hi." The little girl said and Regina knelt down beside the table she was sitting at.

"Hello."

"What's your name?" She asked with her head tilted.

"My name is Regina. What's yours?"

"I'm Olivia." She said with a smile.

"That's a very pretty name." Regina moved into the small seat there and Olivia beamed at her words.

"Thanks." She looked off a little shyly. "Will you play with me?" She said and lifted a Barbie towards Regina.

"I'd love to." She took the offered doll and stood it up on the table. She couldn't help notice the missing limbs from nearly all the dolls. She glanced over at the small house Olivia had been playing with and noticed it was also missing components.

"You're the princess, and you're room is in there." Olivia said and pointed to one of the bedrooms inside the doll house.

"Alright." Regina nodded along and placed her Barbie is her designated area.

"And I'm the queen and I go here." She lifted her own doll and placed her. Regina grinned.

"Oh your Majesty, what a fine place you have here." She said and Olivia giggled.

"Thank you, Princess."

They went on for a few moments with Olivia explaining the rules of the "castle" and Regina nodding along obediently. She had noticed a few other children in the room glancing their way curiously, trying to size up the new stranger. One little girl, with dark long hair in a dress that Regina had to assume had seen several other owners, had stood watching the whole time. She took a few steps closer and paused when Regina noticed her.

"Hello." Regina said kindly. The girl looked away until Regina went back to playing with Olivia. Then she started edging closer again.

Regina kept up with playing the Princess for another few moments and before she realized it, the little girl was right by her side. She decided not to speak right away, fearing she would scare her off. The girl kept edging closer and closer until her arm was resting against Regina's. Regina reached for another doll.

"Olivia, who is this?"

"That's another Princess." She said confidently. Regina nodded and slowly moved the doll towards her.

"Here you go, Princess." Regina held it in front of her. The girl seemed to be thinking about it for an extra moment before she finally took it from Regina's hands. She moved herself in front of Regina and sat back on her lap without warning or saying anything. Regina smiled softly and helped her sit back further.

Regina didn't ask her anything, knowing she probably wouldn't get a response. Instead, she just played with her doll and let Olivia direct them. The girl in her lap just held onto the Barbie, still not saying anything but she didn't move away. It took Regina several more moments to notice the women standing in the doorway.

When she did she carefully lifted the girl off her lap and placed her in her own chair. She excused her self from the table to moved over towards the doorway.

"Regina, this is Becky." Susan said and Regina turned to face her.

"It's nice to meet you." They shook hands and Becky glanced back inside the room.

"I see they've taken a liking to you. Lilly barely ever plays with anyone." She said curiously.

"Lilly?" Regina glanced back to the girl that was still in her seat, though also still not really playing. Becky nodded. "Does she talk to anyone?"

"No." She said sadly and Regina frowned. "We got her last year. Her parents had just moved them here from Mexico for a new start but I guess they were involved in an accident. Luckily Lilly wasn't in the car at the time."

Regina turned and watched her again. Lilly still just sat quietly while Olivia chatted away happily. Lilly seemed to sense her gaze and when she glanced towards the door, Regina smiled at her. She stayed that way for another moment before turning back and stepping completely into the hall with the other women.

"Well, they're very cute." She had to admit.

"Yes they are. It's such a shame they don't have a better place to play. That they don't really have a safe area to run free-"

"Enough Susan, I know what you're doing." Regina stopped her and Susan had the presence of mind to look just slightly shameful.

"So…is it working?" She asked with a hopeful smile. Regina rolled her eyes and watched the children for another few seconds.

"Yes."

* * *

-Present Day-

Regina was getting a bit tired now, but it was a good tired. One that spoke of the accomplishments of the day. She wasn't just proud of herself, but everyone. The women she was a bit startled to actually call friends, had stayed throughout the entire day even though she had only asked for a couple hours. And even that, she hadn't technically even asked for. She had merely mentioned it a few months ago and immediately all had volunteered to help whenever she needed. Today being the opening day, they had all come out and all stayed to see it through.

She was proud of the boys too. All of them. The boys on the team were nearly all from well off families in nice, comfortable homes, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them today. They all interacted with the homeless and foster children like they did each other. She had found Luca and Damian teaching a few of the boys from the home about a video game and despite her not being a fan of him spending too much time on those types of activities, she couldn't bring herself to stop them.

By the time the sun was dropping in the sky, most everyone had left. She found Susan trying to get her now clearly exhausted son up off the couch and towards the car. Regina thanked him for his help before searching out her own son. She found him in an even more severe state. She smiled as she saw him asleep in a chair.

"Luca?" She grazed her fingers over his cheek until his eyes met hers. "It's time to go home now. Time for sleep." She added with a smile.

"Okay." The fact that he didn't fight her on that, spoke volumes of his exhaustion.

"Think you can carry a few things out for me?"

"Yeah." He stood and shook himself a few times before walking with her.

"Alright take this, and grab your ball." She handed him a box he took it, balancing his ball on top. Regina grabbed another crate and they made their way out of the building. She opened the door, one handed, and placed hers inside. "I'll be right back, okay?" She said and turned to walk back towards the door. Luca's ball rolled off as he maneuvered his box inside, and he went after it.

Regina hadn't gotten far when she heard the revving of an engine from a car driving much too fast down the road. While that had grabbed her attention, it was the screeching of tires that had her spinning around. The sight that greeted her was nearly incomprehensible.

It wasn't just the car. It wasn't even just that and Luca being in the street. It was that _and_ the body that collided with his to shove him to safety before they could be run down.

Regina was running before she was processing any of it. She didn't even know she had yelled out. She reached for her stunned son first, her eyes moving frantically over his form. Luca sat up, seemingly unharmed and that was when the other child shifted and opened his eyes, gaining her attention. Regina's jaw fell open.

"Henry…"

* * *

Henry had stood next to an old house. He looked out across the street and up to the building opposite him. He knew he had found the right place. He had assumed when he saw that there was a place opening today, that maybe that was the "center" Regina had been referring to. He was sure now as he had seen her a few times now.

He still couldn't make a decision on what to do. Once again, she was within reach. He could just walk up to her and say what he needed. From the glimpses he had seen of her today, she was in a really good mood. He could do it. Just walk in there and say something. It could be that easy.

But then every time he tried, nothing happened. His mind kept going back to the last time he spoke to her. Those words he screamed at her. Every time he recollected that night, his words grew harsher and his tone louder. Now when he thought of it, he pictured himself tearing into her. Cutting deep into his own mother. He couldn't get the thoughts out of his mind.

He left three times during the day. Turned and walked down the street, one time he made it to the gas station, one time almost all the way back to the hotel. But just as he felt the need to run, he felt the need to come back. He kept remind himself of the mission here. Good or bad, he always accomplished his missions.

Less than four years ago, he was able to find and retrieve his birth mother. About three years ago, he managed to survive a stay in Neverland. Just two years ago, he even ran his own mother out of town. And over one year ago, he ended a marriage. He really could do anything, and could do this now. He would do it now.

After a long bout of gathering his confidence, he stepped out of the safety the shadows of the house provided him with. He made it to the grass touching his side of the street before the sight of Regina and Luca coming out of the building stopped him short again. They didn't see him, but he was completely exposed.

Regina and Luca carried a few items that they placed in the car parked out front. It was late in the day and he guessed they were closing up now. He shouldn't have wasted so much time. When Regina turned to walk back inside, Henry lost his confidence. They were probably tired now anyway. He started to turn but that was when he saw the car speeding down the road.

He glanced back and his eyes widened as Luca was jogging into the street after his ball. There wasn't time to think. No time to consider all the results of his actions. No time to see the poetics of the moment. He only had seconds. He was right there and he ran.

He wasn't really the athletic type, but the adrenalin was pumping and Henry just slammed into Luca. They went flying and there were a few seconds after impact that Henry just blacked out. They hit the ground hard and his head just went blank.

When he finally did open his eyes, he was finally brought face to face with his long lost mother.

"Henry…"

* * *

**Well, I hope at least _some_ of you were surprised by Lilly. ;) I tried really hard to stay just elusive enough. A lot of you guessed something relatively close to the role she will play, but some had a few other guesses. Anyway, I really hope you like this. I know it got pretty dramatic here at the end. Don't worry, chapter 12 starts right where this one leaves off and moves straight through. You will get plenty of looks into the last 2 years, but I understand some moments need to be uninterrupted. Let me know what you thought :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Little Lion Man**

Regina was down on her knees, both her arms holding Luca tightly against her. While it had been in concern for him at first, now that she knew he was fine, the contact was providing more comfort to her than anything.

Luca seemed to sense that. As he usually did when he knew something was wrong, whether it be from memories of the past, or a passing holiday or birthday without the family they left in Storybrooke, Luca allowed any contact she needed for comfort. He was still a bit stunned himself and found himself staring forward as well.

Henry slowly sat up. He wasn't stunned in the way the other two were, but he was definitely thrown off by this. He didn't know if he was ready, but now that didn't matter. He was here. They were here. There was no going back. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was cut off before any sound was released.

"Regina? Luca?" A woman ran up from the side and dropped beside the pair. "Oh my God, are you okay?!" She placed a hand on Regina's shoulder and looked them both over.

"Y-yes." Regina said, still trying to catch her breath. "Luca?" She looked down at him and he nodded.

"I'm fine." He said and both he and Regina looked slowly towards the other boy.

"Henry…are...are you okay?" Regina said slowly and her voice was so quiet.

"Yes." He spoke just as softly.

"Here, let's get you all up." Susan reached a hand down and Luca took it, standing with her help. Henry stood up on his own while Susan helped Regina as well. Regina pulled Luca in again, her eyes looking up and down Henry. The red head glanced around the group of three, trying to understand the stiff and stunned postures.

"Thank you." Luca looked at Henry, looking confused, but starting to come out of the shock. Henry looked away from Regina and took a few extra seconds to respond.

"I guess _now_ we're even." He said softly and Luca let out a small laugh.

"Yeah."

"Henry…" Regina said again, still trying to absorb the situation. Her breathing was deeper and Henry took his own deep breath before giving her a small, hesitant smile.

"Hey Mom."

It was just two words. Two words that she heard in some variation all the time, everyday. Two words that she had heard from_ this_ boy in front of her plenty of times in the past. But it had been a long time. A very long time.

She was so distracted in her haze that she didn't notice Susan's very confused expression, now looking back and forth again.

"Regina." She started, placing a hand on her shoulder again to gain her attention. "Is everything okay?" She asked carefully. Regina blinked a couple times.

"It's…I…yeah." She finally nodded, though Susan was not convinced.

"You call me…if you need anything at all, alright?" She looked seriously and a small smile appeared on Regina's face.

"I will. Thank you." She nodded, though Susan could still see clearly how off kilter her friend was. She also knew though, that Regina would talk to her when she was ready. Clearly, something huge was happening and she didn't need someone on the side, meddling.

When Susan walked hesitantly away, Regina took a few deep steadying breaths. She could use Susan's support in this moment, but then knew there was no easy way to explain right now. She didn't have the time it would take to both describe her situation, and do it without the rather huge components that would make her friend go running for the hills. She'd need to figure out a way to explain all of this later.

"What…when…how did you get here?" She finally asked Henry, not really knowing exactly where to start. This was so much to handle with no warning. Henry, for his part, didn't seem too surprised from the question, though he didn't want to answer.

"I walked." He started, knowing it wasn't the answer she was looking for.

"Where are you staying, Henry?" She asked, watching him a little more closely now.

"There's a hotel a few miles away." He knew the truth was going to come out now, but was still nervous of her reaction.

"And is…Emma there?" She asked, faltering just the slightest. She realized, with a bit of surprise, she couldn't remember the last time she used that name.

"Uh…not there, no."

"Where is she?" She knew his fidgety posture was due to more than just being face to face again. He looked down at his feet momentarily and Regina took the time to observe him. The growth spurt was excepted but still surprising. She had held this boy when he was only days old and now he was a teenager. It was a lot to take in. "Henry?" She watched him take another breath.

"Assuming she hasn't fixed her computer yet, I'd guess she's still in Storybrooke." He barley glanced up but he saw her startled expression. "But I can't be sure."

"Who is here with you?" She took a step forward, momentarily forgetting her shock over his arrival.

"No one." He admitted, knowing well enough there was no more point in being elusive.

"Then how did you- No wait." She stopped and rubbed a hand over her face. "I'll take you back home with us and we can discuss everything there. It's been a long day." She didn't wait for him to give her an answer. She just turned to lock up the center and returned to the car, driving both boys back to the house for what should be a very interesting conversation.

* * *

Henry was trying to take everything in stride. This was not at all how he expected things to go. However, he went with it. He got in the familiar car and sat behind Luca. Regina didn't say anything as they drove. No one did. He wouldn't say he was uncomfortable per se. But he was definitely feeling a bit nervous and maybe even a little excited if he could interpret that feeling in his gut.

He looked out as they pulled into a driveway. He had wondered where they lived now. While it wasn't the mansion, they certainly weren't suffering by any means. He had a few ideas about how this was all made possible, but that wasn't important right now.

They walked up to the front door, still in silence. Regina directed them in and Henry looked around their home. It was definitely nice. Clean and well kept. But then it wasn't like he would have expected. While the mansion had been so pristine, there was hardly any proof of his existence, save for his room, this home was clearly a family place.

There were pictures around, ones Henry already had questions about. The backgrounds showing they had most definitely not simply come straight here from Maine. One with mountains gave him a second of pause, but he moved on. He couldn't start asking about that yet. There were too many important things to discuss first before their travel experiences.

"Are you boys hungry?" Regina's back was a bit stiffer than normal and Luca noticed right away. He smiled up at her.

"I'm fine. I ate over there."

"Good. Henry?" She glanced at him.

"I'm uh…I'm good." He fidgeted slightly, feeling more than a little odd and out of place right now. Regina looked back to Luca and cupped his cheeks in her hands.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm good." He smiled at her again and it seemed just the slightest bit of tension was released from her rigid posture. He glanced at Henry and then back to his mother. "Are you?" He asked quietly. Now she did smile at him.

"Yes. Why don't you get ready for bed. I know you're tired after last night."

"Okay." He paused to lean in and give her a hug. He was plenty confused, but he knew beyond any doubt that his mother was being affected much more than him. She was the strongest person he had ever met, but that didn't mean she didn't need support herself. He had decided years ago, that he would always be that for her.

"I'll be up in a few minutes." She said and gave him one more comforting squeeze before releasing him. He made sure to look Henry directly in the eyes before leaving the room and heading up the stairs.

The second he was out of sight, silence descended on them. Regina paced a few steps towards the kitchen and after a few seconds, Henry hesitantly followed. He stepped towards the table and glanced at her. After another moment of the awkward silence, Regina took a seat and nodded towards the one opposite her. Henry dropped into it immediately.

"I took a bus. A couple busses." Henry answered her earlier question, needing to break the silence anyway. Regina studied him for a moment.

"You came all the way here by yourself." She said more as a statement than anything.

"Yeah."

"And your parents were okay with that?" She asked ad Henry's eyes snapped to hers. She didn't stumble over her words anymore. She spoke evenly and held his gaze.

"I didn't tell anyone." He admitted, but Regina found she wasn't too shocked by that.

"Because they wouldn't have let you come?"

"Because she would have come with me and then…" He tapered off, looking to the side and seemingly trying to work out how to explain.

"I don't understand. Why didn't you want Emma to come?" She did notice he only said "she" and not "they".

"It's just…it's complicated. It won't be long till she is here anyway. I just…I guess I wanted a head start." He said and Regina was still trying to understand.

"Let's start somewhere else. Why are you here? Why are you here now?" She clarified and Henry focused in on the easier part of that.

"Well…_now _because I _just_ found you."

"What do you mean?" She asked and Henry took a calming breath.

"We've been looking for you for a long time, Mom." He took a few more deep breaths as he looked into her eyes. "A little while ago, after you put Luca in school, his name finally showed up in this search Emma does. Your name shows up a lot, but it's never actually you it seems. Luca though, I knew it was really him. And that meant you two were here."

"You've been…looking for us." She said slowly. It wasn't like she hadn't considered it, but it was still interesting to hear from the one person she thought would never want to see her again.

"Well, Emma always has. Since the day you left. But you stayed off the radar pretty well. Except once Emma thought she found you in Colorado. But then she realized she was wrong about that too." He looked down and Regina tilted her head.

"We stayed there for a month." She said quietly and Henry's eyes snapped up again. He looked surprised and then almost saddened. Regina was a little confused by the reaction.

"You really were there? That article in the paper…that was really about you?" He said and Regina's eyebrows rose.

"Yes, I suppose. We helped when there was a big accident in the town we stayed in. Though when the reporter asked for a statement, I didn't give him one. I didn't know he took my name." She said curiously.

"That and there was a picture. It was hard to tell with all those people, but it looked like you a little."

"Why did you decide it wasn't?"

"Because-" He stopped himself and Regina narrowed her eyes.

"What is it?" She asked and he sighed before answering.

"Emma bought a plane ticket the next day. She left a few days after that and stayed there for two weeks trying to find you. Asking everyone and trying to find out where you went to. But no one knew who you were, so eventually, she had to give up." He finished and Regina just stared for a few moments.

She was spinning again. This was a lot to take in so quickly. She had thought about it, but she hadn't really ever considered someone actually showing up. Until six months ago, they didn't stay in any one spot for longer than a matter of weeks. When they left Storybrooke, they were both in such an adventurous state of mind, that they just explored. Regina didn't realistically expect to see a familiar face in real life ever again.

She definitely didn't expect this. None of this. Henry here. Now. Sitting at her kitchen table. Finding out Emma had gone all the way to Colorado to seek her out. She had a brief second of emotion when she remembered that they left just less than a week after that accident, which meant Emma would have either missed them by a hair, or that she was possibly there the day they left. She shook out of that though. She worked hard to keep those feelings at bay.

"I don't understand how that was the only time your name came up, like for real." Henry started again. "I mean, I know Emma checked everyday in the beginning. And then constantly after…uh." Again, he seemed to catch himself before continuing. She knew he was keeping a lot back. Two years was a long time though. There must be a lot to tell.

"We actually went out of the country for a bit." She decided just to answer that first.

"Oh." He nodded, taking a few calming breaths.

"I still don't understand…why are you here Henry?" She placed her hands on the table, flattening them out on the surface. She watched the hesitant and nervous expressions crossing his face. It took his several more moments to respond but Regina didn't say another word.

"Mom…I-"

A ring sounded out in the room and both flinched hard. Regina reached for her phone, intent on turning it off. But then she saw the I.D.

"I'm sorry, I have to take this." She hit the button quick and stood from the table, stepping out of the room and out to the porch outside.

Henry couldn't hear her, but could tell that whatever was happening on the line wasn't just a simple conversation. Regina had grabbed that phone urgently and was pacing now. He watched her facer go from concerned to surprised to happy and then beyond. He was paying attention then. She moved into excited and stayed there, pacing faster and seemingly completely forgetting his existence as she talked quickly on the phone.

Luca came back down the steps, now barefoot in pajama pants and a t-shirt. He narrowed his eyes slightly when he saw only Henry before he heard a sound and saw his mother coming in from the porch. When she stepped in, she caught his gaze and smiled wide. She walked quickly and grabbed him in a tight hug.

"Guess what?" She said in a tone that was both quiet but also excited.

"What?" He asked and she was nearly vibrating.

"That was Becky." She said and Luca paused before realization settled and he started smiling at her.

"Lilly?" He asked and she nodded. "She's coming? When?!" He bounced a few times on his heels and she laughed.

"Tomorrow." She couldn't stop smiling.

"Did they say for how long?"

"Just that we'll see. There's no guarantees right now, but as of tomorrow, she will officially be your foster sister." She finished and he smiled happily. She hugged him again and rested her cheek on his head. It was when she did that, that she saw Henry sitting there and she paused in her celebration.

It was such an interesting sensation. Being emotionally tugged in two different directions so severely. Not even an hour with Henry hadn't given her time to process and now the news she had been waiting for, for months had just come in. She was over the moon but so completely confused at the same time.

"Alright, well, I told her we'd pick her up tomorrow, so get to bed. That way you won't be too tired to play at the park." She squeezed his arms and he nodded.

"Alright, goodnight, Mum."

"Goodnight, sweetheart." She watched him go, such a warm, happy smile on her face.

She took a few moments to gather herself again, busing herself getting glasses of water. She came back to the table, silently handing one to Henry before taking her seat again.

"You're going to be a foster mom?" He asked to break into the silence again. He sounded only curious and Regina was slightly surprised at that.

"Yes. I've been trying for awhile now. It's not like Storybrooke. No quick magic solutions." She gave a small shrug and Henry nodded. "Since we did kind of appear here out of nowhere, it's been a longer process."

"Are you…are you going to adopt her…um, Lilly?" He glanced at her, still trying to sound nothing but neutral. He could feel the delicate balance in the air and didn't want to disrupt it.

"Well that's a little down the road. It's taken awhile just to become a foster parent. She isn't a baby but she also isn't old enough to determine what she needs. We'll see how she adjusts. If she wants to stay."

"Cool." Henry looked back down at his hands, trying to process his thoughts with the news he'd just received. Regina watched him another moment before leaning forward.

"Henry…if you came here to tell me to go back to Storybrooke…I'm sorry but-"

"That's not it. Not exactly."

"Well, honey, then your family-"

"It's just Emma now." He blurted. Regina paused, not sure how to respond. "Things…things really changed after you left. That's kind of why I'm here, I guess."

"Henry…I know you blame me for a lot, but I won't go back there to fix-"

"Mom." He stopped her again. "I don't." He looked seriously at her. "I didn't come here because I blame you and want you to fix it. I came here because…because everything is my fault and _I _need to fix it. I'm here because…because I'm sorry."

* * *

Neither were quite sure how long they sat there for. Both were just a little too overwhelmed by everything to know what to say. After Henry just blurted it all out, he didn't know how to follow it up. Was Regina really interested in hearing about his pity party? Maybe…maybe not. He had so much he needed to say, but part of him worried it would end up burdening her and that was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to accomplish here.

Regina was just trying to understand the boy in front of her. He sounded more than two years older. But then he had always been beyond his years. He was an interesting kid in that sense, because while he had a maturity about him rarely seen in children his age, it was his childlike fixation on good and evil being so black and white that was hugely responsible for the breakdown of their relationship.

Regina would never pretend to not have made the mistakes she did. She always loved Henry, but she made very poor choices with him and she knew that. But she tried. She tried so very hard to earn his love and then she tried to just give him what he wanted. Time. Space. More time. More space. And when that all still wasn't enough, she gave him an unlimited supply. She couldn't fathom why he was returning that final gift.

She was definitely curious though. She couldn't pretend not to be. What had happened to that perfect family of his? He said it was only Emma. Did that mean his grandparents, the oh-so-wonderful Prince Charming and Snow White, were out of the picture? Neal, the man that had started the events leading to her final decision. The man Emma had chosen. The man Henry had chosen. Was he out of the picture? And why? And how? And when? She wanted to know all these things.

But she couldn't just ask. This wasn't the same boy she raised. She wasn't the same woman that mothered him. It wasn't all necessarily bad, but they had both grown. Grown apart from one another. In different parts of the country. Different parts of the world. They just weren't the same mother and son they had been and Regina didn't know if they could be again, or what they could be now.

Neither knew how long it was until the silence finally broke again. At some point, Regina picked up the phone again and handed it to Henry.

"You need to call Emma."

"What? Why?" He looked startled and Regina attempted to give him a small smile.

"Because I'm sure she is losing her mind right now. Call her. Tell her you're safe. That you're staying with me until she gets here." She tried to stay in a mature, responsible role. Focusing more on the fact that a child was across the country from his parent and needed safe shelter, than the fact that that child was her son she hadn't seen in two years and that that parent was not just any woman.

Henry held the phone for a long time before he did anything. This was not going to be a fun conversation. That, he had known since making these plans. While he had been writing his letter to her before going, he had known this moment, would be uncomfortable. He guessed it was better than face to face though, as he had assumed it would have been.

Finally, after several more moments, he put her number in. He wasn't surprised when it answered on the first ring.

"Hello?!" The answer was frantic and Henry knew she'd probably answered every single call like that for days.

"…Mom?" He said hesitantly.

"Henry?! Oh my God, are you okay?!" Her voice was so loud that he pulled the phone away from his ear. It was not on speaker, yet Regina could hear her easily from her side of the table. She didn't breath for a few seconds after that, her hands staying still and flat on the table.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said in a tone that was clear he knew how much trouble he was in.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?!" She yelled and Henry flinched again.

"I'm really sorry-"

"Where are you?!"

"Um…well…"

"Henry, I am not kidding with you right now. You tell me _exactly_ where you are." She said and Henry bit his lip.

"I'm…I'm in San Diego-"

"San Diego?! That's…that's on the other side of the freaking country! Why are you in California? Wait, your letter…Henry explain." She finished and Henry took a deep breath. He knew the reaction would change here.

"I came here to find Mom." The line went silent for only a few seconds.

"You…Henry…why would you think she's there? And why wouldn't you tell me? Where are you staying? Do you have _any_ idea how dangerous this is?!-"

"She _is _here. Right here actually. Like…right next to me." He knew he'd done it now. The line went completely silent. He couldn't even hear her breathing. Curiously, he looked up and his brunette mother seemed to have the same reaction. "Mom?" He said, not even sure which he was speaking to. Maybe both.

"…You actually…you actually found her?" Emma's voice lost all panic and anger and was replaced by a quiet disbelief.

"Yeah." Henry replied, just as quietly. He didn't move and there was another, very long moment of silence before he heard her again.

"…You know you're still grounded for the rest of your life, right?" She said and Henry let out an involuntary laugh at the break in tension.

"Yeah."

"Good…just so we're clear."

"So, uh-"

"Text me her address right now. I'll be on the next flight out." Emma seemed to find her voice again.

"Okay."

"And you do as she says and you stay safe Henry."

"I will." He said and Emma sighed.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I'll see you soon."

"Bye." Henry pressed the end button on the phone and handed it back to Regina. He noticed neither woman asked to talk to the other, but then a minute on the phone probably would have started them on the wrong foot.

"There's a guestroom down here you can use. I'll show you." Regina stood and her posture suggested the stress of the evening was weighing in heavily now.

"I still have that room at the hotel. I'll be fine." He tried and Regina spun.

"I will not let my son-" She stopped herself and shook her head. "That would be very irresponsible. You'll stay here, we can get your stuff tomorrow." She turned and continued down the hall, pointing out the bathroom as they went, until they stopped in a plain room. "Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I'll uh…I'll see you in the morning." She cleared her throat and stepped around him. Henry turned to watch her go.

"Goodnight Mom." He called after. She froze for a second. She turned just slightly and glanced back.

"Goodnight Henry."

* * *

**So, a couple things i want to address. First is i know there has been a large absence of Emma, but the entire next ch is about her and i have to say i am so very excited to share that one. It will fill in one big blank and you will finally see what Regina said in her letter :)**

**Next, and i'm addressing this because of a few messages i've gotten now about Regina and her friendships. Several people have mentioned that Susan can't be a real friend because she doesn't know about Regina's past... okay.**

**This is absolutely ridiculous. No one, and i mean NO ONE knows me through and through. But i would NEVER say that my friends aren't "true" or "real" b/c of that. No one needs to know every single thing. And the idea that you not only have to constantly face your past, but share it with others to be allowed to call them friends is one of the most ridiculous things I've heard. At some point, Regina is allowed to MOVE ON. It's HER business, not anyone else's. **

**I just want to clear this up because if you're thinking i'm going to have Regina sit Susan down, pour her a cup off tea, and then explain the number of hearts she removed from bodies...well then i'm sorry to say you'll be disappointed, lol. ****Regina left to find happiness. Not to introduce her demons to everyone she meets.**

**I don't mean this to sound angry, i was just so surprised to get more than a couple messages about this. Just wanted to be clear :) I do hope you can still enjoy the story.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Speak Now**

_Mom, _

_By the time you read this, I'll be gone. Please don't be angry with me. I know you'll find me soon enough, but I just had to go on my own. I know you said you've forgiven me, and I believe you. But that doesn't fix anything. I think I may have a chance to finally make things right again. I have to try. I'm so sorry. _

_Love, _

_Henry_

Emma slid the note to the side as she plopped her bag on the table. It had been sitting there, still in the place it was left by her son, since the morning she woke up to him missing. She had left it there as she'd run frantically about, searching every corner of the town over and over again before she discovered her computer tampered with.

Emma almost wasn't sure if she could handle all the emotions the filled her after that. She was scared more than anything. He left absolutely no indication of where he was and she couldn't even begin to guess. That also made her angry. Really angry. He knew better than this. He should have. They had gotten so much closer in the last year. She couldn't believe he would just leave her like that.

But then that had her curious. He wouldn't just leave if it wasn't very important. Not now. Not after everything. Something was up and her only guess was that it must be Regina. He wouldn't go after Neal. Not in secret. If he wanted to see him, he would just ask.

When Henry finally did call, she felt nothing but relief for a brief few seconds. He was a smart kid and one that could take care of himself. But he was still her son who had been missing for days and to hear his voice again was a joy she couldn't describe. Next of course, there was anger again. When she knew he was safe, that emotion was ready to spring alive. That didn't last long though. With a few more words from her boy, came something indistinguishable.

It was very interesting. She was so far away, yet the realization that Regina was sitting right next to Henry made it feel like the other woman was within reach. After two years, she was there. One little request and she could be talking to her. She could hear her voice if she just asked. But she couldn't.

What would she even say? _Hey Regina, how's life? Good, good. Oh by the way, sorry for turning my back on you. We cool? _No. Emma realized she could at least appreciate the extra time to prepare.

Emma placed her hands on her hips, double checking everything was in order. She opened the front pocket, confirming her plane ticket packed safely and zipped up her bag. Determining all was set, she threw her bag over her shoulder, grabbed her keys and headed out.

* * *

-1 Year Ago-

Emma knew she couldn't hide forever. Her phone kept going off and she knew people could start to panic soon. Her mother was already on the edge constantly. Like she was just preparing for Emma to run and was doing everything she could to head her off. It was beyond smothering and Emma barely had a moment of peace recently. Especially in these last few days.

She was supposed to be happy today. It was supposed to be the happiest day. It was no where near that. Emma didn't think she'd felt this sick in almost a year. Every week it felt more and more wrong. She was so sure with each passing day that things would get better. That she would think of Neal a little more. That she would think of Regina a little less. That she would love her family a little more. That she would hate herself a little less. It didn't seem to be working out that way though.

She'd cut back on the drinking. Not that she really wanted too. She would give anything for a tumbler of…well anything. But she was trying her hardest recently. With the wedding finally arriving, she had come to the realization. She made her bed and she had to lay in it. She couldn't keep dulling the pain. She needed to face it. Adapt and survive. Like always.

This is what everyone wanted. This was the right thing to do. This would make everyone happy. If everyone was happy, she could be too. It was the opposite of what Regina had said, and she was completely aware of that, but she was so worn out. She could do this and she could find her happiness if she tried. She had been saying that for a year.

Her phone went off again and she sighed. She'd go in a minute. As soon as she finished checking. She decided she had to check one last time. If she found them today. If their names came up and she knew it was them, she'd take it as a sign. She would leave town today.

She tapped her foot as she watched the screen. She still ignored her phone. She just had to be sure. Had to know for absolute certain that she didn't have a chance. That they were really gone. She heard the station door open and flinched.

"Mom?" Henry's voice reached her and Emma turned the screen away just as he came into view.

"Henry." She straightened her posture as he came and sat in the chair in front of her.

"Everyone's looking for you, you know." He wasn't angry and Emma was actually a little confused by his demeanor. He wasn't in the high spirits he should be. Something was definitely off.

"Yeah, sorry. Just finishing up some last minute work." She glanced back at her screen, deflating at what she saw. Nothing.

"Didn't find them?" Henry asked and Emma's eyes snapped to his face.

"How did you-"

"I saw it on your computer once." He said quietly. Emma was a bit shocked he hadn't ever mentioned something before now. He never wanted to talk about Regina though.

"Right. Well…I guess I need to go." She stood up but Henry stayed seated in front of her.

"No you don't." He said softly. Emma narrowed her eyes and slowly sat back down.

"What?"

"You don't need to do this." He said again and Emma sighed.

"Henry, I'm tired, and this is a really big day for all of us both. Why don't you give me a break, huh?" It was obvious she wasn't just tired. The circles under her eyes said sleep hadn't come in awhile. She had looked completely exhausted for days.

"That's what I'm trying to do."

"Henry-"

"You're doing this for me. Me and Grandma and Grandpa. To make us all happy." He looked at her and Emma just shook her head, trying to understand this sudden change.

"Where is this coming from all the sudden?"

"I just…I see you. I know you don't love him. Not like you should."

"Henry-"

"Don't do it." He said and Emma just stared at him before shoving her chair back and standing abruptly.

"This…you…god _damn it_!" She turned away from him, rubbing her hands roughly over her head. Henry flinched, but stayed quiet and still. "What are you doing Henry? What's the big plan now?"

"It's not-"

"You're getting everything you ever wanted. You can't keep changing your mind. You nitpicked until you got your perfect family and it worked. We're here. It's too late to go back."

"I know I did this. But I realize what I've really done. It's not too late. You were just checking the computer-"

"And they're _gone_. Long gone. This is our life now, Henry."

"Mom, you don't have to-"

"Yes I do. And you do too. Go home to your dad. It's time to get ready. I'm going to my parent's house. I'll see you at the wedding." Emma grabbed her jacket and keys and walked right past her stunned son.

She couldn't even have that conversation. After everything. After giving him everything he wanted. Her, Neal, a home of their own. After all that, she was putting on the final touch and now…_now_ he changes his mind all the sudden? She felt furious.

All of this was for him and it still wasn't good enough. She slammed her car door shut. She was handing him a happy ending on a fucking platter and he was changing his mind the day of. No. She had already declared to herself that this was it. This was the final piece and she could be done. She could just learn to live after this. She would marry Neal and they would learn to live happily ever after. Time to get this over with.

* * *

She really was making everyone happy right now. Her mother had been whining about getting her into a dress for a long time and that day was finally here. Her father had been so excited to earn a son in law and he was about to get it. Her son wanted a family, well here it was.

Emma ignored all their smiling faces as she stepped into the church. She didn't look at Ruby on one side, the only girl she considered enough of a friend to stand up there with her. She didn't look at Henry on Neal's other side, acting as best man. She didn't even look her husband-to-be in the eyes as she walked down the aisle. She looked at nothing. Just stared ahead. Her thoughts were not where they should be. Not _on_ who they should be. She had the sudden urge to throw up again, but luckily, she knew there was nothing left after the last few times.

She held onto David's arm as they walked. Despite her feelings, at least it was nice to have something solid to hold onto. Even if that figure was walking her into _his_ and everyone _else's_ idea of her happy ending. She was just too tired of being mad at him now. She was tired of being mad at everyone. She was completely exhausted in fact. It was almost over. Just a few more steps.

When David handed her off to Neal, she was on autopilot. She didn't really register Henry's fidgeting posture or the hand he kept touching his pocket with. She didn't notice Archie's eyes watching her an extra few seconds before he began hesitantly.

"We gather here today, to join these two…"

Emma didn't even listen closely. She did finally meet Neal's eyes. She even met his smile with a soft one of her own. She focused on those moments from their youth. As she always did, she remembered the way he made her feel when she was so used to being thrown away. How he was her safety and comfort for the first time in her life. Thinking of that made her smile come a little easier.

Everything was going exactly as it was supposed to. Everyone was here, it seemed. They all wanted to see the Savior finally have her fairytale wedding. And she was sure it was. She was sure Snow White had planned and organized every single detail of the ceremony and decorations. And she should. After all, it was a wedding for _her _as well as everyone else in this town. Why not make it to her specifications?

Archie led the ceremony smoothly. They wanted all the traditional lines. Well Emma told them she liked the idea of traditional, but in reality, she knew her only chance at getting through this, was if all she had to do was repeat his words. There was no way she could stand in front of the entire town and "speak from the heart". She knew she couldn't trust herself.

Archie cleared his throat and Emma tried hard to really focus in on everything. She was still operating on autopilot, even when she spoke. But they were getting to the end now and she only had to hang on a few more minutes. Archie looked around the room as he continued.

"If anyone has reasons why these two should not be married, speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Emma's mind was starting to wander. Wander to a place it shouldn't be on her wedding day to Neal Cassidy. She was trying to control her thoughts. She was trying to focus. She was almost done. It would be easier after this. Just one more minute. All they had to do was get through-

"I do."

The irony Emma would eventually find funny, was how these were technically the exact right words. The words you're supposed to hear at every wedding. They just happened to be from the wrong person at the worst time. Now though, her eyes snapped into focus and as the room completely halted to a stunned silence and Henry stepped forward, in front of his parents.

"Henry, buddy, what are you doing?" Neal stared at his son is total confusion. Henry looked like he was a few seconds from passing out. He was not alone in that.

"I'm really sorry, Dad." He looked truly apologetic and he turned to Emma. "Mom…" He looked at her with an almost pleading desperation and Emma finally managed to close her hanging jaw.

"Henry, I…" She shook her head. She didn't know what to say and she honestly didn't think she could be any more stunned. Then Henry reached into his pocket.

The second she saw familiar papers, stained by a combination of tears and alcohol, her eyes went wide. She reached out and grabbed them from him, pulling them into her chest and concealing the letter from all the eyes trying to understand what it was. Henry reached out again, but not for the papers.

"Mom…let's just go. You _don't_ have to do this. We can just go." He looked only at Emma now, ignoring all the eyes boring into them. Emma squeezed the papers in her hand tighter, her breathing going deep and fast. She turned her eyes slowly to Neal.

She could feel the weight of that letter. Of Regina's words she'd read so many times, yet somehow simultaneously ignored. She could feel the weight of everyone's gazes. The weight of Neal's. It was suffocating her quickly.

She could change this. She could throw that letter away and continue right on. She could shake her head at Henry and smile at Neal. She could laugh off the interruption and finish the ceremony. The way everyone in this town acted about happy endings, finishing this wedding would be the only thing that truly mattered to them anyway. She could fix this is a heart beat.

She looked right into Neal's eyes.

"I'm so sorry." She turned and grabbed Henry's outstretched hand. She ignored everyone. She didn't glance at her mother who jumped to her feet. She tuned out the calls from her ex-fiancé. She looked straight forward and tried to hold her dress as she ran down the aisle, clinging desperately to her son.

* * *

"Oh my God… Oh my _God_!" Emma said again and Henry just stayed silent in the passenger seat. "What did we just do? Oh man, Mary Margaret is going to murder me. She's actually going to _murder_ me." She shook her head, barely focusing enough to drive. "Where are we even going?" She threw up her hands.

"We can just leave." Henry said, just looking forward. He was more than aware things would be anything but comfortable for him for awhile. He had no qualms about hiding out for a bit.

"We can't run away, Henry." She started with a frown. "Even if it sounds like a _really_ good idea right now." She finished and Henry cracked just the tiniest hint of a smile.

"What if we just took a little break? We can go hang out somewhere for a few hours while everyone cools down."

"That would be a really good idea if I wasn't currently rocking a giant wedding dress." She turned to glance at Henry.

"I uh…I actually threw a bag in the back for you with some clothes…you know, just in case." He still looked forward and Emma glanced back. She looked back at Henry.

"We have to talk. You know that right?"

"Yeah." He sighed and Emma turned down another street. She paused for only a moment before hitting the gas a little harder. It only took a few minutes before they were passing the town sign.

Emma didn't drive too far. Once she knew where she wanted to go, it didn't take long to reach her destination. She did gain a couple looks when she walked through the road side diner in her dress, but she changed quickly and after replacing the dress in the car, she came back inside and took a seat opposite Henry.

"So you've been here before?" He asked, checking the menu. He was still in his shirt and tie, though he'd left his jacket in the car. With the way his tie was loosened and his hair slightly out of place, he looked like he'd run out of his _own _wedding. In a way, he did.

"Yeah, actually this is near where August and I came through. He brought me here where we were found."

"Huh." He said as he looked around and then refocused on the menu. A woman came by to take their orders and they fell into a quick and impressively awkward silence.

When they received their food, they used that to occupy themselves. They both managed to focus solely on their meals and not address any of the large issues between them. Not even the wedding they had just literally run out of a matter of minutes before. It wasn't until Emma's plate was clean, that she finally really looked at Henry.

"Did you read it?" She broke the silence with her question that was answered by the pink coloring Henry's cheeks. "_Henry_-"

"I'm sorry."

"That was private. Like _really_ private."

"I know-"

"That was not okay!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." He repeated. "It was awhile ago. I was really upset one day and confused and you were reading it all the time… I just went in there and read it." He looked down at the table guiltily. Emma wasn't just over it though. She was more than uncomfortable.

"We'll deal with that later. Why didn't you ever say anything? Why is this all coming out _today _of all days?" She leaned forward but Henry's eyes stayed down, the guilty expression still in place.

"I didn't want to say anything. I wanted everyone to be happy."

"You mean you wanted everyone to be a family." She clarified and somehow, Henry managed to sink even lower in his seat.

"Yeah. I wanted that to be the same thing. But I know that you've been looking for them everyday recently. I know you keep reading her letter. And…knowing what it says and that you keep reading it before your wedding…that's not how it should be. Not how it would be if you and Dad really belonged together. It just took me awhile to get the courage to talk to you."

"And then I shot you down this morning." Emma added with a sigh.

"I deserved it." He spoke quietly and Emma didn't disagree. When she didn't say anything at all, Henry continued. "I think about her a lot." He admitted in a near whisper.

"Me too." Though it was obvious, she felt the need to say it.

"Do you…do you have _any_ idea where she is?" He glanced up and Emma shook her head slowly.

"I can't even imagine where she'd go. She'd only ever been in Storybrooke before she left. They must have just started driving." Emma had been over it plenty of times in her head. She had absolutely no guesses and it drove her mad. Her only hope was to eventually come up with something legitimate in her searches.

"What she said to you…in the letter-"

"Henry, we are not talking about that." She said seriously. Henry sucked in a breath.

"Just…I just want to ask something. You don't have to answer."

"Oh I know that." Being open like this was definitely making her more confident. She saw him sigh again and softened her expression. "You can _ask_."

"Do you…did you feel the same way she did?" He glanced up and Emma's gaze was locked on his. She studied his expression as she answered.

"Yes." She saw how that answer conflicted him. She expected it would. Though she also knew after the lengths he went today, that he knew how she would answer. Hearing it, was just harder to take sometimes. It took him a couple minutes to say anything else.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"I'm really sorry."

Emma saw the corners of his eyes grow wet. She knew he was struggling with his own feelings. She was overwhelmed by hers. No matter what, she didn't like seeing her son sad. Especially when it was by guilt. She loved him no matter what.

So she slid out from her side of the booth and moved over next to Henry. She wrapped an arm around him and pulled him into her side. For the first time in a year, she actually didn't feel so completely distressed and conflicted. Just for this moment, before they went back to Storybrooke and their new reality overwhelmed them again, Emma actually felt a calm come over her. She hugged her son and rested her cheek against his head.

"I know, kid."

* * *

-Present Day-

Emma powered off her phone after one last text to Henry. He'd been rather elusive today, but that wasn't unexpected. Not with him having just run away to the other side of the country to seek out his adoptive mother. No, she wasn't expecting to get any real answers until she could look him in the eye.

She was a bit less worried right now. In reality, there was just nothing else she could do. She was on the plane to San Diego. There was no possible way to get there any faster. The only thing she could do was relax.

Relaxing though, was not something that came easily. The calm she had when finally taking her seat wore off within minutes. Once the plane was in the air, the reality that she was flying to Regina really sunk in. After all this time of looking for her, she had never really prepared what she'd say when they were finally face to face again.

When she flew to Colorado, she had been so worried about actually being able to find them, that she hadn't considered how to handle it from there. It was almost best she hadn't. Because by the end of two straight weeks of looking for them, she had been depressed enough. Maybe it was best she didn't have even more to be sad about.

Now the circumstances were completely different. She knew exactly where Regina was. Had her exact address in her phone. She would be there. They would finally see one another again. And Emma had no clue what to say.

She opened her bag and pulled it out. She hadn't looked at it in a little while. Not the entire thing at least. Not since Regina's birthday when she had felt especially sad. And then not for a few months before that. She seemed to go through phases. In the last year, she had gone from one severe to the next.

She had been feeling better recently. A little bit more content in her life and able to live in the moment. Though slightly dull, their life wasn't bad. In those moments when she managed to enjoy herself, she was able to forget her and Henry's mistakes. Able to believe she had at least _slightly_ abided by Regina's wishes for her.

She pulled down her tray table and flattened it out. It had wrinkles and folds all over and definitely wasn't the elegant letter it had been when she'd found it on Regina's table.

Since she didn't know what to say, she figured she'd read what Regina did. She knew this letter was two years old. There was a chance that nothing in it meant anything to Regina now. She hoped that wasn't the case. There was an irony to reading it now. She wondered if Regina knew what her words would come to mean to her. Probably not.

Taking a deep breath, she looked down and reread the familiar words.

_To my dear Emma, _

_I want to start by saying that I am sorry. I am sorry that it has come to this, but I see no other way. I know you Emma. I know you wouldn't just let me leave. One of us has to make the decision though and my gift to you, is not making you do it. I am doing this for all of us._

_I know exactly what your choice was. I saw it in your eyes the moment Henry stepped from the shadows. I will tell you Emma, I do understand. I understand how conflicted you are. I saw that in your eyes as well. I know choices like this are nearly impossible to make and you are just trying to do the right thing. But while I understand that, I just couldn't wait around to hear it. My gift to myself, is to spare myself the pain._

_For Henry, I love my son. I will always love him. I truly hope he understands that some day. I refuse to take away his chance at happiness. While trying to find mine, I impeded his. You know very well that has never been my intention, but we've seen that to be the result. _

_For you, I hope this makes things easier. I know you love Henry very much and want to do what you think is best. I believe my absence will assist in that greatly. It will at the very least, make your decision much simpler. A word of advice though, my dear, while I completely understand and support putting Henry first, please don't ever put yourself last. You deserve so much Emma. Please, don't forget how you deserve true love and happiness. _

_For me, well, I have finally realized that I am allowed to be happy too. I want so much, to just be happy finally. I have been quite selfish in that regard over the years. I know that and I am truly sorry for the suffering I caused you in your life because of it. You've said you've forgiven me, but I will always be sorry. _

_I thought I may have been finding my happiness in Storybrooke. And by that, I not only mean my life and Henry and Luca, but you as well. Our relationship may have been unorthodox. What with our unpleasant history, how most of our truly quality time was spent in secret, and how being together actually caused others pain. But nevertheless, despite the abnormal circumstances, I believe we could have been happy together. _

_I wish it hadn't taken so long to come to that. Truly. I wish we had talked more. I wish I had shared more. Though I will say, I shared more with you than any other in my life. It has been wonderful not to have to hide for once. To be who I was with understanding and without judgment. I know that leaving will put me right back into lies and cover ups, as will be necessary, but leaving, for me, is also necessary. _

_It's necessary for several reasons, one of which I must share, though I am so very sorry that I'm telling you this in a letter. However, face to face, under these circumstances, I could not tell you. It would set us back and make everything harder and worse. That is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. So now that I am gone and you no longer have to make any hard decisions about me, I will tell you the truth. _

_I love you, Emma. I do. And it makes this choice both so much harder, as leaving you absolutely tears me apart, but it also makes this easy, as I just don't think I can watch you with another. I think you know just how good I am at sharing. As I said, I wish I would have realized this sooner and told you before it was too late. _

_While I believe in the possibility of you sharing this sentiment, I know you love Neal. And I understand that. I understand how one falls in love for the first time and that does not go away and you do not simply turn away a second chance like that. My whole life, I would have given absolutely anything for another chance at my first love. _

_I'm sorry if this causes you pain. Believe me, my heart breaks right now. There is a large part of me that is absolutely destroyed at the thought of not seeing you and Henry again. If I didn't truly believe in my actions, I would never consider it. But this is what must be done for all of our sakes. I hope more than anything, that you two do not suffer._

_Take care of Henry. He's just desperate and confused right now. He's struggling and he needs guidance. He is such a special boy. He filled a hole in my heart and for that, I will always love and adore him. He deserves to be happy, and if it is in my power to give him that, I will._

_You deserve it too, Emma. Love and be loved. Fight for your happiness. Fight for what you love. Second chances don't always come around. When you get one, don't ever let it go. _

_I love you Emma. I will never forget you. Please don't forget me. _

_Love Always, _

_Regina_


	14. Chapter 14

**Simple Words**

Before Henry opened his eyes in the morning, his other senses awoke first. It was something with the combination. The sound of water running, the smell of pancakes and coffee. He knew smell was an interesting sense on it's own. It had the strongest ability to bring you back to old memories. While his consciousness had not fully moved into gear, the smells and sounds threw him back to memories of home. Not the apartment and not the house he had lived in with Emma and Neal, but the home he had grown up in for over ten years.

His eyes snapped open and his mind spun. It winded down slowly as realization sunk in and he remembered where he really was. He sat up and looked around the room. He heard the water stop but there was still movement in the kitchen.

He got up and threw his shirt back on, trying to shake and pat the wrinkles out of it. He hadn't been prepared to spend the night here, so he figured this would have to do. He grabbed his phone and saw a message from Emma about finding a flight for today.

At this point, he didn't really know what the mast plan was. He should have spoken up sooner. Things weren't as he predicted and it looked like he'd have to play it by ear. Whatever he wanted to do though, Emma was coming today. That, and the fact that this was a big day for Regina, meant he may not be getting any one on one time with his mother at all. He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do now.

One of the biggest reasons for coming was to properly apologize. Now he had technically done that, but had he really shown her how sorry he was? Not really. And Emma…well the point was that he do this, not her. It wasn't fair to her that she had to step in like this.

Trying not to worry too much, Henry finally stepped out of the room. He followed the same way back down the hall and towards the sounds he heard. He paused when he saw Regina and Luca faced away from him. Despite the strong memories of their years fresh in his mind, this was so different.

Not just the setting, which was obviously different. Different kitchen, different house, different state. It was Regina. Everything about her right now was foreign to him. Appearance wise, her hair grabbed his attention. It was just a tad longer than when she'd left, but it was how the top half was pulled into a pony tail in such a casual manner that actually shocked him. He'd _never _seen it like that before.

There was also the change in demeanor, though this wasn't the first time he noticed it. He'd noticed that first actually, from the moment he saw her at school the other day, her skin practically glowing in the California sun. Her posture was just so carefree and without all the tension she used to carry constantly. When she turned slightly, he saw the side of her face, an easy smile there. She brushed her hand over Luca's back as she placed a plate in front of him.

"Thanks, Mum." He smiled up at her.

"You're welcome, sweetie." She went to turn back to the counter when her eyes caught sight of her other son. "Henry." She definitely seemed to take a second to process the sight as well, but recovered faster. "Take a seat. I'll get you a plate." She gave him a soft smile and he nodded.

He felt uncomfortably out of place but he tried to work through that. He sat down facing Luca and saw the younger boy look him over slowly. It seemed that despite yesterday, Luca was still being cautious around him and Henry actually appreciated it in a weird way. He didn't want them to be weary of him, but it was a good thing to know that Luca was looking out for their mother. Someone had to, Henry figured, and he knew it hadn't been him in a long, _long_ time. Regina returned only a moment later with a plate of pancakes and a glass of juice.

"Thank you." He met her eyes and she seemed to be relaxing more by the minute.

"You're welcome." She brought her own food to the table and took the seat at the head, right in between the boys.

This was a first in general. While they had shared meals in the past, this was the first time ever it was just Regina and her two sons. They had always had Emma there and sometimes more people. But never once was it just the three of them. It was strange, but then not as bad as some may have thought in the past.

"Well, Henry…" Regina started after they had spent most of the meal in silence. "We have to go pick up Lilly. Then I promised her we'd go to the park, so-"

"Right, yeah, I understand. You could drop me off-"

"Henry." Regina stopped him and then waited until he met her eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to come?" She finished and Henry looked completely thrown by the request. This was a big moment for them. He felt like an intruder already.

"But you're like…bringing her home for the first time right? I don't think I should-"

"It's okay. It's not like it's her first time here. It's up to you, but I think it would be nice for her to meet you." She did sound genuine about it.

Henry was a bit conflicted because he really didn't want to be a burden on her. Lilly was a big surprise to him and he was having trouble figuring out what he should do. But then she was asking him to come. It was a small offering that he was having a hard time not grabbing up.

Seeing her again, talking to her, interacting with her…Henry didn't want that to stop. It might be selfish not to want to give her up, but then again, _she_ had asked. He really didn't really want to go back to that motel room alone. Maybe not all plans were off.

* * *

Regina didn't mean for the car ride to be so silent. She didn't want everything to be so awkward, but it was hard to avoid. She didn't want to talk too much about Lilly, as she could already see how it was affecting Henry, though he was doing an impressive job at appearing indifferent. If she didn't know the boy so well, she'd probably never notice. It was enough that he was going to be meeting her less then twelve hours after reuniting with her and Luca. She could see it was a lot for him.

But then she had barely slept last night. Henry was here. He was _here_. Right here and while Regina was so completely confused and overwhelmed by his abrupt appearance, she was even more bothered by the thought of just sending him off again. Of just letting this opportunity slip through her fingers. She knew it might be selfish. She was used to that feeling. But she just wanted them all right now. Luca, Lilly _and_ Henry. Whatever was happening, probably wouldn't be easy, but for the moment, she just wouldn't stand the thought of letting any of them go.

She really needed to talk to someone about this. She had called Susan to tell her the news about Lilly, but then they both acknowledged that they should catch up in person. One of the things Regina loved about Susan was her way of simply understanding. She was good at reading people in general. Knowing their moods and having the ability to react appropriately. It was a blessing to Regina who needed people to talk to who wouldn't push her. She still needed just a bit more time before she tried to explain all this though.

When they pulled up outside the home, her smile just couldn't be suppressed. She'd done this plenty of times. She loved Lilly and had made a routine of getting her out in the sun more. Taking her to the park or a movie, whatever to get her away from the home for a few hours and allow them more time to bond.

But this was the first time that she didn't have to bring her back. There was no one to check in with. No curfew or time frame to abide by. No permission to be needed. In whatever capacity, she was finally Lilly's guardian. Her parent. Her mother.

She saw Becky standing outside alone and while that might have concerned her for a second, as she saw a suitcase there in her hand, Regina relaxed and excitement flowed through her.

"Luca, can you open the trunk?" She asked as she unbuckled.

"Yeah, I can get her bag too."

"Thank you. I should be back out in a minute." She glanced back and Henry nodded. They got out and Luca took the suitcase while Regina looked to Becky.

"I figured you'd like to go get her yourself." Becky smiled warmly and Regina returned it.

"Yes, I definitely do." She glanced back as Luca got back into the car, before she turned back and went back inside, taking the familiar route to Lilly's room. When she poked her head inside, she saw Lilly on the floor, the doll Regina had given her on her birthday in hand, and watched her for a few seconds until the little girl seemed to sense her and glanced towards the doorway.

"Regina!" She jumped up and practically launched herself into Regina's arms. She caught her and pulled her into a snug hug.

"Hello Princess." She kissed her head and Lilly pulled back to grin at her. Regina sat down on Lilly's bed, turning her to sit sideways on her lap.

"We going to the park!" She exclaimed and Regina laughed.

"Yes."

"Can we stay _all_ day?" She asked, as she always did. Regina had been pushing their time a little longer each time and Lilly always tried to see how long they could go for.

"Well, not _all_ day." She said and smiled at Lilly. "I thought you'd like to go back to my house today." She tilted her head and the little girl was instantly excited.

"Yes I do. I do want that." She said quickly and Regina was growing further and further excited as well. "Can I spend the night? Miss Becky says I've been very good. She might let me if we ask her really nicely." She batted her eyes and in this moment, the only thing that didn't make her happy was the chance of them not being able to make this permanent one day.

"You know, I think I have an even better idea." She paused for a just a second and made sure they held eye contact. "How would you like to come live with me and Luca?" She felt just a hint of nerves in the split second it took Lilly to comprehend her words before her little arms were tightened like a vice around her neck. "Is that a yes?" She asked with a laugh.

"Yes!" Lilly squeezed her neck and rather than pull out of the hug, Regina just adjusted her legs again as she stood up and held the girl to her. She turned her head and placed a few more kisses on Lilly's head, earning her giggles of joy.

She hadn't truly been worried whether or not Lilly would be excited. The girl had flat out asked Regina if she could live with her on several occasions. It had been torturous to Regina to get through those conversations. She couldn't give her hope if she wasn't a hundred percent sure it would work out. That would have been far more cruel than to ease out of those conversations as she had learned to do, with some help from Becky and Susan who had dealt with these children long enough to be able to offer advice.

It had broken her heart though. She had loved Lilly from day one and not being able to say yes, like she wanted to, had killed her. Especially when she saw how well she had taken to Luca. Starting as the girl who wouldn't even speak during their first few meetings, to her running around and getting piggy back rides from her son, laughing the whole way, was a huge transformation and Regina couldn't bare the thought of taking any of that away. She had always wanted to give her what she deserved and now she was.

Regina bent and grabbed the doll and the small bag in her room before walking her daughter back to the car.

* * *

When his mother had started to walk away, Luca got back in the car, though he didn't just buckle up and wait. Instead, he turned slightly and looked at Henry.

"That was you at school, wasn't it?" He had his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked closely at Henry.

"Yeah."

"I thought I was crazy." He shook his head before regarding Henry again. "So why exactly are you _in_ school?"

"That's what you want to know? Not, why am I here? What do I want? How did I find you in California?" He wasn't sounding rude. He was genuinely curious.

"I understand your birth mother used to spend her time finding people, and as far as I know, you've always been smart. I know you found Emma all on your own when you were only ten. I'm not quite as shocked as Mum is that you managed to track us down. As for what you want and why you're here, I love Mum very much. If anything ever happened as it did between you two, I believe I would do anything to say sorry and have her back. As I said, you're smart and she _is_ still your mother. Again, I'm not as surprised."

"Um…thanks." He caught the compliments in there and chose to start with that. "You're pretty smart too." He said genuinely, having not expected Luca to say all that.

"Thanks. But you still haven't answered my question." He watched as Henry shrugged.

"I'm…thinking ahead."

"What does that-" Luca stopped when he saw Regina and Lilly stepping from the building. His confused expression changed into a smile instantly. "We should switch places. She's really shy around strangers at first."

"Oh, yeah okay." Henry nodded and they both got out of the car. Henry turned just as Regina reached them and he stopped to see her. Regina smiled at him.

"Lilly, I want you to meet someone. This is Henry." She looked back at the little girl who was exactly as Luca had said. She gave one glance at Henry before immediately turning her face back into Regina's neck. "She'll come around." She reassured and Henry nodded.

Regina walked to the other side of the car and put Lilly in her seat. She kept the shy demeanor for another moment until Luca took the spot next to her and got her giggling again with a few funny faces. Regina gave him a warm smile and closed the door before getting behind the wheel.

Henry got up front and again, was hit with a weird wave of déjà vu. It wasn't bad though. It gave him an old, but familiar sense of comfort. He looked at his mother and she caught his eyes, the smile on her face coming even faster this time.

When they got to the park, Henry got to see that more carefree side to Lilly. She definitely was not one for interacting with strangers, but she very obviously loved Regina and Luca. She ran from one to the other freely, smiling and laughing the whole time.

Henry stayed out of their way. While Lilly had been a random and surprising thing for him, he could see now that there was a reason his mother had chosen to foster her. They were much closer than he would have guessed and he was seeing just how settled they really were here. He wasn't too worried about that though.

He found himself actually smiling quite a bit. He had had so many thoughts and predictions about how they would be. And then many predictions about how _he_ would be with _them_. How they would react to him. Nothing was quite like he'd imagined, but that seemed okay now. The genuine joy on her face was something he didn't realize he had longed to see this much.

It was bothering him though, in a way. Because the longer he watched her, the more he wanted to be a part of it. He had come to terms with his mistakes and regrets before coming here. He didn't need the reminder that he could have had this all along. He knew that. The part that was bothering him, was whether or not being here was going to hurt or help.

He wanted to help. That was the goal. But looking at how happy she was now, what if she didn't feel the way she did before? They hadn't had enough time to talk. He had no idea how she truly felt.

At some point, after he had taken a seat on a bench to watch, Regina left Lilly to build sandcastles with Luca, and came over to him. She took a seat right by him, turning to make sure she could watch over her other kids easily. Henry didn't know why he suddenly felt so nervous again, but he did.

"I never thanked you." She started and Henry glanced at her curiously.

"For what?"

"For jumping in front of a car to save Luca." She gave him a smile and he nodded. "It was amazing. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome, but I kind of owed him." He said and saw her immediate confusion. "From the mine." He clarified, but she still shook her head. "He never told you?"

"I…don't think so."

"The wall didn't just fall in on him. He got hurt because he saved me. I definitely owed him." He watched Luca and Lilly playing and Regina took a second to absorb the information. She kept on studying him as he sat quietly.

"Are you alright?" She asked and Henry immediately looked back at her.

"Yeah…of course." He tried to shake it off but she kept watching him.

"What is it?" She spoke quietly and he got a little lost in her eyes, forgetting himself.

"You're…so happy." It wasn't what he meant to say. Not at all. But he had been watching them this whole time, thinking just that and it's what popped out. He was still mentally scolding himself when he saw Regina studying him again.

"Why did you come here, Henry?" She asked her earlier question again, hoping for a bit more enlightenment. He bit his lip and took a moment to gather himself, before finally giving in.

"I messed up, Mom." He looked down at his hands and Regina took a deep breath, trying to decide what to say. Before she could though, he continued. "Everything that I said to you…the night I saw you and Emma, the things I said-"

"Henry-"

"No." He looked at her. "What I said to you, calling you evil and accusing you of taking my happiness. None of that was right. It wasn't even true." He shook his head, the familiar guilt building up again.

"Henry, it's _okay_-"

"No it isn't!" He immediately ducked his head after yelling out, seeing Luca glance their way as well as a few others in the park. Regina looked around as well before scooting just a bit closer.

"Henry, look at me." Regina reached out slightly, but then retracted her hand and cleared her throat. Henry hesitantly looked back up and met her eyes. "I understand why you felt that way. I took a lot of people's happiness. And I know I took yours-"

"You_ didn't_. I said you did, but you didn't. _I _did. I took yours and Emma's and I'm sorry. I-"

"Shh, Henry, stop." She immediately leaned closer to him again as his emotions took over.

She couldn't help it. She lifted her hand again and this time, slowly reached for him. It had been so long since she had touched him. She might not have seen him in a long time and been affectionate with him in even longer, but she still knew him. They'd each grown in different ways, but this was still Henry.

She gently reached a hand for his cheek. He didn't pull away. He actually leaned into her and she cupped his chin like she had so many times before. She smiled and looked into his eyes. She knew what he needed to hear now.

"Henry…I love you. And I forgive you." She held his gaze and the second she saw that first hint of water in his eyes, she moved her arm around him and he just fell into her.

He'd been thinking about this for awhile. Even when he'd still been so angry. Then when he'd been confused. When he'd started feeling truly lost. When he'd started really thinking about his actions. When he'd objected at the wedding. When he joined Emma in her search for his adoptive mother. When he started feeling desperate himself. When he'd seen Luca's name on that screen. When he'd gotten on the bus. And then from the second he'd finally seen his mother again.

He didn't know the last time he'd hugged his mother. It was something that truly bothered him. Was it when they were still in Neverland? That's what worried him. It was so long ago. But right now, for just a moment, he could pretend like no time had passed. If he closed his eyes, it was like they were home again, in the house she raised him in and nothing had ever changed.

He felt her hand go to his head, the other still wrapped around him. He didn't want it to end. He knew it had to. They were still at the park. Luca and Lilly were there and Regina had to give her attention to them as well. They had to go about their day and to do that, he couldn't just cling to her like this. But he stayed for a few more seconds. He stayed in the arms of the mother he turned away. The same mother he was bound and determined to be with again. He stayed just a few more seconds before finally pulling back.

He used his sleeve to wipe at the spot on his cheek he knew a tear had fallen. He cleared his throat and tried to gather himself. When he looked at Regina again, she was smiling softly.

Regina, for her part, was still trying to absorb everything, but was feeling something different now. Last night, she had been so thrown. So overwhelmed. She had heard Henry's words and could tell they were genuine, but it had been too hard for her to respond. With the news of Lilly as well, the emotional conflict had been too much.

Today, right now, Regina could see how hurt he was. She could see the emotions in his eyes. She could feel the truth of his words. But more than all that, she was seeing her little boy again. She wasn't seeing the teenager that had screamed such hateful words at her. She was seeing the little boy that had saved her soul. The child that she would love always and no matter what. Two years didn't seem so substantial right now.

"You _are _happy…right?" Henry looked up and Regina lifted her fingers to his bangs. It was difficult _not_ to touch him now.

"Yes." She said honestly. She tilted her head. "Are you?" She saw the answer before any words were spoken. She was expecting to either hear that truth, or the opposing lie. Somehow, he managed to surprise her.

"I'm working on it." He gave a little smile that brought her back to him being her little boy again and she matched it, though she did narrow her eyes slightly.

"You're not just here to apologize, are you? You have a mission, don't you?" She was still smiling as she watched him and Henry sighed.

"Don't I always?" He looked away and she patted his knee.

"Yeah, that's my boy." She spoke very softly, but Henry caught it and looked at her again.

"I really missed you." He was just as quiet.

"I missed you too, Henry. Very much." She ran her fingers through his hair again.

She knew everything wasn't this easy. It wasn't as if she'd just forgotten all that had happened with a few simple words. She could remember Henry's voice from that night as if he'd spoken yesterday. In the times she let herself reminisce, the emotions were right there waiting for her to tap into again. But her son wanted forgiveness. He needed it. And what she realized in that moment, was she did too.

Right now, she felt lighter. She felt that weight lifted like it was a physical burden she had carried on her shoulders all this time. It was liberating.

It wasn't over. Everything wasn't resolved. It's never quite so simple. But then why would life start getting simple now? Regina felt a peace in this moment that she hadn't in a long time, if ever.

She looked over as Lilly got up from the sandbox before running over to where she sat with Henry. She still eyed Henry wearily, but seemed to be getting just slightly more comfortable with his presence. She climbed up into Regina's lap and watched him. Henry gave her a small smile.

"Is it lunchtime yet?" Luca ran over and stood in front of them. Regina smiled as she tucked some of the falling hair from Lilly's pony tail back behind her ear.

"Hungry?" She asked, though she was pretty sure of the answer.

"Very much." He nodded.

"Alright. Lets go." She lifted Lilly up as she stood and they all made their way back to the car. Before they all got in though, Henry tapped Luca's shoulder. He nodded towards the back and Luca shrugged.

"She won't talk to you." He said and now Henry shrugged. He just got in the backseat next to Lilly casually.

"Hi." He got a small glance from her before she faced forward again. Henry just smiled softly and buckled up, watching out of the corner of his eye as the small child snuck glances throughout the drive.

* * *

That lighter feeling they had from their talk seemed to carry on. The void between them had decreased and it was obvious, not only in the palpable decrease in tension, but in their visible demeanor towards each other. Luca noticed how the smiles came easier. The lessening in hesitation before speaking to the other. Even Lilly almost broke and giggled at something Henry said. She managed to look back towards her food just in time.

Luca very nearly even experienced the green monster a bit. He was good at avoiding it. He was very rarely, if ever, jealous. He hadn't even thought of it in Storybrooke, and then there had been no one to be jealous _of _in the year and a half on the road. It wasn't really until Lilly that the thought even entered his mind.

It was never a lasting feeling though. Regina checked in with him as soon as the little girl was in their lives and often since. She was careful about it and had been beyond reassuring when it came to her love for him. He would never doubt it, but then when he had seen how she had taken to Lilly, he didn't mind being reminded how special he was to her. By the time she asked how he felt about Lilly becoming part of the family, he knew he didn't have any reasons to feel insecure.

It was just interesting how quickly Lilly was adapting to Henry's presence. Not even Damian could get a laugh out of her yet and he had been trying for awhile. Now _he _was going to be jealous.

"Are we gonna go back to the park?" Lilly asked, looking at Regina. Regina glanced at Luca before turning to her.

"Well, we'll go for a drive first and we'll see." She said and Lilly seemed satisfied. Luca grinned though and Henry watched them curiously. When she carried Lilly out, Henry paused by Luca.

"What did she mean by that?"

"She means we're going to drive around until Lilly falls asleep and then we'll go back home."

"Ah, gotcha." Henry nodded and got back in the car.

Sure enough, it didn't take long. Less than twenty minutes had gone by before Lilly's eyes started fluttering. Her head tilted and rested against the side of the car seat. A few more minutes and she was out like a light.

"We're good." Luca glanced back and then at Regina. She smiled and made a few more turns, bringing them back on a familiar street and to the house within minutes.

Regina pulled into the garage and got out of the car. The boys did as well and they each received Lilly's bags while Regina pulled the sleeping girl from her seat. Lilly only stirred briefly from the movement, her arms coming around Regina's neck and her head falling to her shoulder. Regina adjusted her onto her hip and held her keys in the other hand. They all walked out of the garage together and stepped on the walkway to the front door.

Regina was fiddling with her keys to pull out the one for the house, when they reached the front porch. She might have walked right into her had she not looked up then. But she did. She barley glanced up before freezing completely in her spot. The boys on either side mimicked the action.

Emma's eyes were glued to Regina as she stood slowly from the front step. Her jaw dropped open and closed a few times before she took a small step forward and gave the smallest, most hesitant smile.

"Hi."

* * *

**I know you're really looking forward to the reunion, but i couldn't just skip over the other parts. **

**Now, i know that every chapter surrounding Henry gets a lot of strong reactions and that is wonderful. I only ask that if you are so nice as to review, just _please_ go easy on me. :) Nothing kills my writing momentum faster or more effectively than a review that is only negative. Thank you. :)**


End file.
